


Aprons And Scrubs

by Lokisgame



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Developing Relationship, Dialogue Heavy, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Hurt/Comfort, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-10-14 03:15:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 89,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10527687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lokisgame/pseuds/Lokisgame
Summary: At the far end of the room was a glass partition covered floor to ceiling, wall to wall, with a blown up photograph of a forest and a huge flying saucer hovering above treetops. The name of the place was written in white, blocky letters across the mirror behind the bar, “The Believer"





	1. Aprons And Scrubs

The stupidest thing imaginable, a slippery step, a moment's distraction and bam! A concussion kept him in the hospital overnight. She came to check up on him every hour, it was a slow night.  
"So, what do you do, Mr Mulder"  
"I run a bar" he said squinting at the light shining into his eye "just across the street"  
"Really? I didn't know there was a bar around here" she ran her fingers through his hair "how did this happen?"  
"I gather you didn't see the outside world much today" he chuckled as she ran her fingers over his scalp "it's an icerink out there"  
"I might have heard a thing or two from the orthopedic ward" she smiled clicking off the tiny flashlight.  
She was small, but had a great shape that even green hospital scrubs couldn't hide.  
"So what's the verdict, can I go home now?"  
"In the morning perhaps, consider this a night off if you must" she made a few notes on his chart "I'll stop by later tonight; try to get some rest"  
"I'll hold you to that" 

The bar was a real hole-in-the-wall. There was no sign stating it's there, so to find it you had to know where it was. A basement of an old building on the other side of the street from the hospital. Very small, cramped even, with windows just above the sidewalk, all that you could fit in there was a narrow mahogany bar with a long mirror and rows of bottles behind it, a row of tall barstools and a three feet gap to the wall. The wall itself was decorated with news clippings, blurry photos of UFO sightings, lake monsters, Yeti and such. The fact that the only way to read them was either to sit with your back to the bar or force your brain to read backwards must have been what made most people uneasy.  
At the far end of the room was a glass partition covered floor to ceiling, wall to wall, with a blown up photograph of a forest and a huge flying saucer hovering above the treetops. It sectioned off a small lounge if one was in need of privacy, with a couch, two easy chairs and a coffee table. The picture was the brightest spot in the bar and dominated the space looming over patrons. The name of the place was written across the mirror, in white blocky letters "The Believer".

 

"What's up Doc!" Mulder's face lit up as she perched herself on the stool at the far end of the bar.  
"How's the head" she smiled back  
"The head's fine" he wiped the bar and set a coaster in front of her, the graphic showed an intricate round maze "what will it be?"  
"Red wine" she said examining the puzzle  
"No, not wine" he said with an arched eyebrow "you look more like a Jameson type"  
"I don't drink scotch" the nerve of that guy  
"First one's on me, Irish Gal" he stood there, placing two shot glasses between them, the rolled up sleeves, white shirt and apron, he looked like some tv commercial brand of fantasy bartender slash female magnet.  
"Don't ever judge a girl by her hair" he filled her glass first, then his own, with liquid amber.  
"Can't help it, especially if it's one with such beautiful hair" he smiled shyly, knowing he was pushing the line "drink with me"  
"To what" she felt like she was back in college somehow and raised her glass.  
"To my doctor's good health" the glasses clinked and he tossed back his drink in one gulp, as did she, to his endless surprise.  
"You still want that wine?" He laughed, and she smiled a smug smile.  
"Beer" she broke down and too, huffed out a laugh, the warmth of the booze spreading through her fast "and no more shots" she warned him, making it clear that this was a one time thing.  
"Yes ma'am" he agreed respectfully, setting a beer bottle and a tall glass next to it. She took the beer, ignored the glass, and looked around taking in the news clippings, the large print behind her back, "quite a place you've got here"  
"Do you believe in the existence of extraterrestrial life?" He asked with just enough seriousness in his teasing voice to earn an earnest reply.  
"Logically I would have to say no" he smiled wider at that "Given the distances needed to travel..."  
"BARKEEP" she was interrupted by one of the three men who came in and sat at the other end of the bar  
"Hold that thought" Mulder told her and went to pour drinks for the new arrivals. He came back a moment later and, leaning against the shelf that held more kinds of liquor than she ever saw in her life, gestured for her to continue.  
"Given the distances needed to travel from the far reaches of space, the energy requirements would exceed a spacecraft's capabilities th..."  
"She's hot" the shortest of the men said out loud, making her feel uncomfortable and suddenly out of place. She was feeling too comfortable around here, and feeling too comfortable around almost perfect strangers could be dangerous for a girl. Mulder was practically a stranger after all, she had to remind herself that.  
"Settle down Frohike" Mulder scolded the man spotting her unease "don't mind them, they're harmless"  
"Sorry ma'am" the man in the suit who looked most trustworthy of the three got up to shake her hand "John Byers"  
"The rude one is Frohike, and the bespectacled wraith is Langly" Mulder introduced them "editors of The Lone Gunman"  
"That is sensitive information" the one named Frohike bristled.  
"Gentlemen, Dana Scully, M.D." The whole exchange felt weird and fun at the same time, it looked like the men were more afraid of her for some reason and her worry took a step back "Don't worry, your secret is safe with her"  
"How do you know that?" The third one, Langly, pale and computer-geekish looking one asked, the air of paranoia hung around them like a cloud of smoke.  
"The woman saw the inside of my head, I trust her" he winked at her while he said it and they accepted his explanation as if it was a stamp of approval that satisfied them.  
"Why is that significant" Scully asked curiously  
"It just is, don't worry about it" he placed a bowl of pretzels in front of her and continued "now, about that conventional wisdom of yours, if you turn around and read that article on the left" he gently put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around pointing to a newspaper clipping he spoke of "you'll read that there's a woman in Bellefleur, Oregon..."  
The evening went on, with beers, pretzels and stories of alien abductions, and more bizarre theories than a physics major and M.D. could ever imagine or shut down. 

Scully started to spend her free evenings at the bar, enjoying the harmless crazy of her new friends and the way it took her mind off the grueling double shifts at the hospital. The Gunmen were paranoid to the extreme and each night had a new fantastic story to pick at and study and analyze. Mulder had a tragic story somewhere in his past, but she had yet to find out what it was. What she knew, is that he had a degree in psychology from Oxford and has worked for the FBI at some point in his life. Bizarre was the first word that came to her mind.

"Gentlemen"  
"Doctor." The boys greeted her as she took her usual spot by the wall, Mulder wiped his hands with the corner of his apron and smiled at her reaching under the bar.  
"I've got something special for you tonight" he placed a low ball glass in front of her and produced an old looking bottle from beneath the bar. This was one from his private collection.  
"I'm not sure I can" she protested and his hand froze over the edge of the glass  
"You're going back tonight?" Mulder's face fell slightly, she didn't notice, unlike the other three men at the bar.  
"No, I'm just dead on my feet" she hid a yawn in the folds of her scarf than looked at him with sleepy eyes.  
_Why would she come here, if she was that tired_ , Mulder wondered "Is that a no to the drink?"  
"No" a sleepy smile joined sleepy eyes, his eagerness warmed her heart "I just need a distraction, awful day"  
"How about this, I'll make you some coffee and in the meantime, you'll listen to these fine gentlemen" he pointed at the three stooges "and help decipher the test results of a mutual friend of ours."  
"Deal" she sighed and got up heading for the couch in the lounge, she decided at least her body might rest if her mind could not.  
If there was something Mulder always got right, it was his Irish coffee. Sweet and warm, with caramel syrup and enough Tullamore Dew to make your lips curl up in a smile. 

"I think we're done for the night" Frohike said coming out after two hours.  
"You found out what you needed?" Mulder was too busy to join them but was curious none the less.  
"As much as we could tonight" Byers replied, shrugging into his coat "we'll talk to you tomorrow."  
Langly pulled a hat over his head "Don't do anything I wouldn't do man" he pushed the glasses up his nose and all three of them left.  
Mulder came from behind the bar and looked inside the walled off section where he found Scully, curled up on the sofa, with one of the throw pillows under her head. The booze in the coffee probably made her drowsy and she must have fallen asleep, too tired to fight it. She was even more beautiful asleep than he could imagine, her features soft and relaxed, lips slightly parted.  
He kept quiet and went to the door, flipped the sign there and closed for the night. Then took the wool coat from the hanger in his office behind the bar and switched off the lights, leaving only the one that ran under the mirror on for back light. He went back to Scully, gently draped the coat over her and sat in one of the chairs. Stretching his legs over the coffee table, he closed his eyes and made a note to himself to keep a blanket in the office next time. He didn't mind it, not in the slightest.

She woke up an hour later, confused and disoriented in a way that only waking up in an unfamiliar place could make you.  
She spoke into the dimness around her "Mulder?"  
"I'm here Doc" he sat up straight and switched on the small lamp standing in the corner of the lounge  
"I'm sorry, must have fallen asleep" she felt embarrassed for making herself at home, but then noticed that what was keeping her warm, his coat.  
"That's okay" he smiled reassuringly "you had a long day, come on, I'll drive you home."  
"You don't have to do that, just call me a cab" she protested, but it was weak and wouldn't work anyway.  
"It's no problem" he got up and reached out for her hand "it's what friends are for."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Queen - ["Somebody To Love"](https://open.spotify.com/track/3nKJyC3efIRo73Sm03w2us)  
> Queen - ["Friends Will Be Friends"](https://open.spotify.com/track/5RjjRF8MEnoe8aD2hcbQl6)


	2. Fire and Ice

"What do you think it is?"  
"Spontaneous human combustion, Scully" Mulder said as if it was obvious .  
"People don't normally just catch on fire" she countered with an arched eyebrow "I mean, we burn, but we don't conduct all that well. There's usually some kind of extraneous fuel involved like candle wax, gasoline, something flammable and incendiary that adheres to the skin."  
"There's something I haven't told you about myself" he lowered his gaze with a sigh, a faint note of shame in his voice "I hate fire. Hate it. Scared to death of it."  
"Really?" Scully sipped her wine, curiosity without judgment written across her face.  
"When I was a kid, my best friend's house burned down. Had to spend the night in the rubble to keep away looters. For years, I had nightmares about being trapped in a burning building."  
"That sounds awful" she had her own period of childhood nightmares, but it wasn't something she carried over to her adult life and didn't want him to dwell on his either, relying on humor to keep his mind in here and now "So no singing around the camp fire with you?"  
"Well, with right company, I might be..."

A loud crash sounded just outside the door and, in what felt like two frantic heartbeats, Mulder jumped over the bar, gun in hand, reached the door and pulled them open only to find... a tall woman, with short brown hair and stark features, smiling broadly as if she just pulled the best prank of her life.  
"Aren't we looking rather ghostly?" Her British accent carried over to where Scully was pulling herself of the ground, where Mulder pushed her protectively just a few seconds ago. He turned around and walked back to her, put away the gun and helped her up.  
"Sorry, you okay?" He asked in a low voice  
"Yeah, I'm fine" she replied.  
"Aren't you going to thank me?" The woman asked just a few steps behind him  
"For what?"  
"Saving your life. One tends not to make the same mistake twice." She set down two chairs away from Scully and broken glass.  
"I'll try to remember that" he rounded the bar and stopped in front of her, looking her in the eye  
"Oh, come on, don't tell me you left your sense of humor in Oxford ten years ago."  
"No, actually. It's one of the few things you didn't drive a stake through."  
She lifted herself up on her elbows, fast, but not fast enough. As he ducked his head away from her, the kiss she wanted to plant on his mouth landed somewhere in the air next to his ear. He turned to Scully looking at her with a quiet apology, and started to clean up the mess he made.  
"Dana Scully, this is Phoebe Green, terror of Scotland Yard" he explained sourly picking the shards of glass of the bar.  
"What brings you to the colonies?" Mulder asked the other woman without facing her directly.  
"I figured my friend Mulder couldn't resist a three-pipe problem."  
"And what is that?"  
"Some clever bloke has been giving the aristocracy a good scare. Killed off a ranking member of Parliament or three for good measure. Set Windsor Castle ablaze in 1992. Likes to burn his victims alive." She went on with the litany of facts "Can't figure out how he does it either. Not a crumb of evidence left at the crime scene. The last one died in his front garden, his poor young wife watching helplessly as he went up in smoke."  
Scully watched them both and mentally bid a silent farewell to her still new friend. That woman obviously had her claws inside him, after ten years at that, if she'd believe her words. She felt that she had no business staying here any longer.  
"I figured that with your contacts at the FBI, you could help me out" she continued unfazed, ignoring Mulder's discomfort at her unwarranted familiarity and Scully's existence as a person in general.  
Scully got up, left a few bills on the counter and without a glance back left the bar before he could stop her, leaving Mulder momentarily speechless and stunned.  
Luckily he quickly gathered his wits and turned to Phoebe, determined to get rid of her, as soon as humanly or inhumanly possible.  
"She hates me" Phoebe noted with a self satisfied smile.  
"Okay, I'll ask around" he agreed coldly "but I can't promise you anything, I'm no longer with the bureau as you probably noticed."  
"That's all I ask" her smile however said she had much more in mind. 

December air was colder than usual and it felt like it was going to snow just in time for Christmas.  
Scully took the last few steps down, warmed up by the thought of a smile waiting for her on the other side of the door. After two days of thinking about it, she was determined to move on. After all it wasn't as if Mulder looked pleased to see the woman. With confidence in her stride she went inside... and froze.  
A large, brawny man, with shoulder length curly hair stood behind the bar. Denim vest and a plaid shirt made him look more like a biker than a bartender. She looked around searching for Mulder more than a little confused and, to be honest, disappointed.  
"Doctor Scully?" The bartender spotted her and she had no other choice than to face him  
"Hi" she said sitting down, though closer to the exit than her usual spot "where's Mulder?"  
"Boss told me to give you this and that whatever you like tonight is on the house"  
She scoffed pushing back the glass he placed in front of her and picked up the folded note to read it 

_"Sooner or later, a man's got to face his demons, M"_

"I'm Mike, so what can I get you?" the man looked dangerous, but his tone was friendly and perfectly polite. She looked up and noticed old burn scars on the side of his neck and a small cartoon UFO tattooed on his arm.  
"Nothing, thank you, I'm fine" she replied looking down, trying to keep her voice steady and the hurt out of her eyes, though she knew she wasn't fooling anyone.  
Scully folded the note, put it in her coat pocket and left with a mumbled goodnight. 

The next morning she came to work, and as usual looked through the patient list at the nurse's desk.  
"Anything special happened last night?"  
"A couple of patients with slight smoke inhalation" Scully took pause as familiar name caught her eye "nothing major, doctor Gibb kept one of them overnight"  
"Thank you, Sally" she smiled at the head nurse and headed for room 405.

Walking in, she was greeted by a steady cough and a pair of puppy dog, green eyes.  
"We have to to stop meeting like this" she said looking through Mulder's chart. Low oxygen saturation, she glanced at the monitor, glanced back at the chart, and noted the improvement, despite his low but persistent cough.  
She filled a cup and handed it to him, perching herself on the side of the bed "your insurance might not handle it in the long term."  
"Hi Doc" he managed to get out, once he sipped on some of the water. "I'm charging this to the Scotland Yard" the joke went without a smile.  
"What happened" she asked brushing hair out of his eyes, a tender gesture he repaid with a sigh.  
"There was a fire, two boys trapped inside" her look became worried, but she kept quiet "I froze, Scully, couldn't move for a moment..."  
The doors behind her opened and Phoebe Green walked in carrying herself with her usual air of smug confidence.  
Scully turned around and faced her with unmasked hostility, though the effect was somewhat ruined by surprise, when Mulder's hand covered hers, resting protectively over his chest. His fingers curled around hers with a mixture of silent plea and reassurance, somehow conveying that it was Scully who was welcome here, not the woman who just entered, and she was damn sure to make that clear to her.  
"Visiting hours start after 10 a.m." Scully's voice was confident and stern, she was on her own turf now "the patient needs rest" Mulder coughed again, not as hard as he did before, but it sounded serious enough to give merit to her claims.  
"I won't stay long, I just wanted to say goodbye" Phoebe looked past Scully to Mulder who worked hard to avoid her gaze and look pathetic and sick enough for the world to just leave him alone and let him die.  
He wasn't dying, it was all an act. Scully knew looking at his chart she might write the discharge papers right now while he had a breakfast on the house. She looked at him and he gave her one more scoop of his puppy dog eyes.  
"Goodbye" Scully said, her tone cold as ice, effectively dismissing the woman and staking her claim to the man at her side.  
"Goodbye" Inspector Phoebe Green of the Scotland Yard laid down her weapons and left the room, leaving the two friends smiling at each other with broad smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for shamelessly reshuffling the dialogue from the original episode S01E12 - "Fire"
> 
> Tina Turner - ["I Don't Wanna Lose You"](https://open.spotify.com/track/2TxWkdptNrm2Z0CZfMr3Iq)


	3. Two Of A Kind

Dana met with her sister outside the hospital and they both agreed to find someplace warm to talk. Snow was falling heavily and the city was glowing orange and white. Missy was in town to spend Christmas with her family.  
"Come on, I want you to meet someone" She hooked one arm under her sister's elbow and pulled her to the other side of the street and down a few, recently swept stairs. She smiled to herself upon noticing, pleased that someone was paying attention and taking care of himself and his clients.  
Missy's expression gave Dana some idea about what she must have looked like when she first opened the door to "The Believer". Her expression was positively priceless. She pulled her farther in and signaled Mike, who manned the bar.  
"Good evening Doctor" he greeted her with a smile, two coasters landing in front of them. By now, Scully knew that each puzzle was custom made and different from the last one. "The usual?"  
"Something stronger perhaps" she glanced towards Missy who was reading headlines on random articles taped to the wall behind her "Gin and Tonic, on rocks, twice"  
Mike nodded and went about their drinks "Where's Mulder?"  
"Had an errand to run downtown," he informed her placing two glasses on the bar "should be back by now"  
He glanced at the tv hanging in the corner, the game was just starting, Knicks versus some team or other, Scully wasn't really into basketball to know or care to be honest. 

"This place is incredible" Missy looked up to the UFO hovering above them "not exactly my thing, but it sure got style" she noticed two EMT's who nodded at Dana with friendly smiles.  
"Yeah, wait till you meet the owner" she smiled sipping her drink, the ice clinking happily as she raised her glass.  
"You know what I love most?" Missy smiled toasting her sister "No "Last Christmas"!"  
They both laughed at that. All Scully women loved Christmas, but the girls agreed they were sick of WHAM! hit song that seemed to follow them around every year from Halloween till New Years Eve since it's release in 1984. Mulder's religious preferences were a mystery, but his music taste leaned more towards Elvis and Sinatra and classic rock. Tonight Mike was in charge of the music and Salt n' Pepa's last album flowed from the speakers hidden somewhere around the room, cheeky lyrics abound. 

Girls talked and laughed at Missy's latest adventures, her rediscovered love for yoga and vegan ice cream. About the guys she met along the way, and places she saw and swore would take Dana to see as well.  
Dana was half way through her story about hunting for a new apartment when a cold gust of air hit them. Missy turned and saw a tall man in a long, black woolen coat standing by the door, combing fingers through his hair and shaking out the the snow. The girls singing on the radio might be standing right next to her, because the lyrics were spot on, he wore a suit under the coat and he was coming their way.  
_Uuuuuu_  
Melissa nudged her sister to point out the cutie that entered the bar, but then Dana looked up and the man's face lit up with a smile that got him bumped up from cutie to a bona fide knock-out.  
"Hi Doc" he greeted Dana stopping beside her, his hand casually resting on the small of her back with familiarity of someone more than just a simple friend "Who's your friend?"  
"Missy, meet Fox Mulder" the guy smiled at her warmly and shook her hand "Mulder, my sister, Melissa"  
"Pleasure" he smiled again though didn't try to sit with them. Instead he looked around, noticing their drinks, the TV above and, to Melissa's surprise, rounded the bar, walked behind it, shook hands with the bartender and headed businesslike to the office, shrugging out of his coat as he passed them. She added two and two together.  
"So you must be the guy that got my baby sister to hang around bars, Fox" she called after him  
"Not Fox, Mulder" Dana corrected her as he reappeared tying a white apron behind his back.  
"You mean, she didn't do this until now?" He looked honestly surprised  
"No, not since med school" Missy took a sip of her drink, the stone hung on a bow around her neck catching the light.  
"You make me sound so boring" Scully moaned "what were you doing downtown?" She asked Mulder, who was rolling up his sleeves absentmindedly, sucked in by the game now in full swing on the screen above the door. Missy paid attention, very close attention.  
"Had to meet a friend at the FBI, old case stuff"  
"And you wore a tie? Must've been someone important" she teased him.  
"Old habits die hard" he joked in reply "not that I miss it that much"  
"C'mere, let me see that" She beckoned for him to come closer and took the end of his tie between two fingers for close inspection "no offense, but that's probably the ugliest tie I've seen in my entire life"  
"Yeah?" he reached up smiling and Scully's eyes followed his hand as he slipped two fingers under the knot, pulled at it slightly and undid the top button of his white shirt. Then very slowly, without taking his eyes off hers, freed the short end and the fabric unraveled as he pulled the tie from under the collar. Scully watched, enthralled by the intensity of his gaze, equal parts a promise and a challenge. "How about now?" He asked, leaning closer to her, the tone of his voice low and seductive, lips dangerously close to her own, parted ever so slightly. Something was changing between them, a shift in balance between friends and...  
Missy blew out a whistle so loud it would make her brothers proud and Mulder laughed, backing off. He bunched the tie in his hands and sent it flying carelessly, in direction of the darkened office.  
"You're right" he said lightheartedly "I've got an reputation to uphold"  
Scully swallowed her heart that suddenly found it's way to her throat "Silly but charming?" The teasing was becoming their standard, tonight sponsored by Gordon's London Dry Gin.  
"I was going for brooding and mysterious, but I can do charming if that's what you like." He smiled at her and all the tension dissolved in his charm, of which he seemed to have endless supplies.  
"Just keep doing what you're doing and we'll be fine" she smiled back.

Dana missed her sister, they might be different in characters but the bond was there, strong as ever. After sharing a room for years it was hard to hide anything from each other even now.  
On rare occasions when Melissa was in town, she always tried to make her go out, be more around people just for the fun of it and break out from her everyday serious doctor persona. Now she witnessed her, essentially shy, sister flirt and laugh and joke around with a guy! 

Missy gave her a knowing look and whispered conspiratorially "where did you find him?"  
"Oh come on Missy, it's not like that" Dana lowered her gaze, suddenly very interested in the pattern of her cut glass tumbler "We're just friends, that's all"  
"Don't let him hear you say that" she scolded her lightly then sang with the song that played in the background _"whatta man, whatta man, whatta man, whatta mighty good man"_ bumping Dana's shoulder with hers and making her laugh. 

Missy loved Mulder instantly, with his easygoing vibe and bright smile. After the Daniel fiasco, anyone was a welcomed change and a step-up. That was one bad decision her little sis made, and paid the price. Thank God mom and dad never found out. 

Mulder left the two sisters to catch up in private, but watched them from the corner of his eye.  
He watched as at some point Mellisa did a little dance in her chair, bumping Scully with her shoulder to join in and making her laugh.  
He noticed how Scully's eyes sometimes found his and the little smile that played around her lips when he smiled.  
He watched her, and flirted with her shamelessly, and the thought of his earlier meeting was slowly pushed out of his mind by the sight of two gorgeous sisters, laughing, talking and enjoying life. He did everything in his power to put Luther Lee Boggs and his case out of his mind. 

"So, you're positive you can't come to Bill and Tara's New Years Eve party?" The tone of Missy's voice carried a distinct note of jealousy, she wished she had such a perfect way out.  
"Nope, can't do, I've got morning shift that day and there's no way I'll make it to CALIFORNIA in time" Scully smiled finishing her drink "so unless I'll find some means of teleportation on that wall, it's champagne and a book for me"  
"Wish I had your luck" she sighed "mom calls me every day to remind me that she'll disown me if I'll skip it this time"  
Scully glanced at her watch "We should get going" she noted with a sigh, gathering her coat and purse before signaling Mulder to settle the tab.  
"Ladies" he smiled broadly walking back to them "had fun tonight?"  
"It's so good to catch up" Missy said hugging her sister with one arm "and see that things are looking up for my little Dana"  
"You think so?" he mused taking the bills from Scully's hand without a glance, he stopped fighting her on the matter of paying for drinks after her third night around "it was a pleasure to meet you"  
"Likewise" Melissa shook his hand and honestly was looking forward to seeing more of this guy, and she had a feeling she just might.  
"Goodnight" Dana gave him a sweet smile and turned to follow but Mulder stopped her and leaned over the bar to whisper something in her ear.  
He looked hopeful for a moment and receiving a small nod from her beamed and called after them " G'Night!"

Somehow Melissa knew, that there will be a lot less of those lonesome evenings over books in her sister's future life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was brought to you by Salt N' Pepa's ["Shoop"](https://open.spotify.com/track/0ipLnUeK5PODrTKyT3wVGT) and ["Whatta Man" ](https://open.spotify.com/track/3eRsSIhorhBnLrsy2uhM8r)


	4. One Of A Kind

Mike took her coat and hung it by the door. Her bottle green, formfitting, velvet dress showed an interesting enough amount of cleavage and back and her milky white skin lightly sprinkled with freckles. A little more makeup than usual around her eyes made them shine twice as bright as her deep cherry lips curled up in a smile. She looked dazzling, no two ways about it.  
"Ma'am, I'm not sure you've got the right party" Mulder smiled as he came to greet her, two glasses of champagne in hand "The Congress Ball is on the other side of town" He leaned in to ever so slightly kiss her cheek and the scent of her perfume made his head swim for a moment.  
"It might be, but the company here is much nicer and closer to my heart" she replied taking the glass and, hooking one arm under his elbow, followed him to her usual spot at the bar.

The sign outside the door proclaimed the place was closed for a private event. The crowd was small, 20 people at most. She knew the Gunmen, recognized a few regulars, some stray friends of Mulder's from the the FBI by the looks of their suits and the way they wore them. She was introduced to Reggie Purdue, Mulder's old mentor from Violent Crimes Section, Danny and Holly, a couple working for the FBI but not field agents. A tall balding man looking like former military made an appearance at some point in the evening but left quickly on his way to another party, his wife impatient at his arm. Later Scully found out that he was Mulder's boss for a brief period of time. Right before he resigned, as Reggie explained to her. 

Mulder was a good host, the catering company did a great job, alcohol flowed, though no one seemed to get totally drunk. The music played a bit louder than usual and the sofa and chairs in the lounge were pushed far back against the walls to make room for a handkerchief sized dance floor. The nights selection of music ranged from Elvis and Sinatra to present day hits, anything really as long as it didn't hinder the conversation or one might sway to it.

The Gunmen tried to talk the FBI's into divulging company secrets, the FBI people tried to get the truth about the things that were above their pay-grade from the hackers and computer geeks with trust issues. Self-proclaimed alien abductees spun stories of lost time and waking up in strange places in funny situations that were so strange that they had to be true, because who, if not life, wrote the strangest scenarios for people to live through and sometimes even survive. The conspiracy theorists kept to themselves, drank like fishes and read the news on the wall behind their back. Long story short, Mulder's bizarre charm brought together the most peculiar crowd and somehow made sense of it. That was his power over them, he believed them all, he was open and accepting and made people around him feel safe and normal enough, no matter how strange their life was outside the door of his bar. 

The party went on and Mulder barely took notice of time. He cared for his guests, the drinks and food, made sure no one wanted for anything and had fun as they supposed to. Yet deep down inside, he was here mostly for Scully. For a glimpse of her smile as she talked with Reggie, for her laugh when Frohike started to dance, for a glimpse of what she might look like, once he packed up the courage to really ask her out. After all, he was just a bartender, a washed out FBI agent, his psychology training and days as a star profiler a distant memory by now, not even worth mentioning around Dana Scully, M.D., saving lives on a daily basis and somehow willing to waste some time around here. He was one lucky bastard. And damn, she looked fine in that dress.

"Mulder" Langly beckoned for him to lean closer so he could hear him over the noise of the party "what are you waiting for man?"  
"What do you mean?" He asked puzzled  
"Scully, sitting there, waiting for your sorry ass to make a move"  
"She's not alone, Byers's with her, you should wash your glasses man!" Mulder mimed wiping his friends face with the dishtowel but knew what he meant, he did invite her, but it wasn't as if he could drop everything and sit with her all evening and talk as he usually did when she came by on a slow night. This was different, and the way she spoke when he passed her, made him think she knew and understood that it wasn't their time, at least not yet.  
"Whatever, just, don't say I didn't warn you when she leaves with Frohike tonight, she's next on his list!" They both laughed out loud at that, noticing Melvin swaying gently on his feet as he explained something to Holly, ignoring her boyfriend completely. 

It was moments before midnight, the champagne was poured and passed around the room, all eyes turned to the TV, watching people gathered at Times Square to officially welcome The New Year.  
Mulder rounded the bar with two glasses and stood at Scully's side as the clock showed 11:58.  
"Any New Year's resolutions?" He asked at random leaning casually against the bar. He had to take a steadying breath as she moved closer, he wasn't sure if she even noticed she did that.  
"Nothing major, you know, exercise more, worry less" she said looking up, the tv showed time  
11:59  
"I'll try not to add to that last one" the countdown began and she looked at him  
"Every little helps" their eyes met as she teased back.  
Three...  
He leaned in  
Two...  
His arm moved around her back  
One...  
She leaned forward, her heels helped a little  
12:00, January 1st 1994  
They met half way and his lips touched hers, soft like God's own pillows, smooth like 30 years old Irish whiskey, sweet like champagne, and Mulder knew he was done for, there would be no other for him, ever. Just her.  
Fireworks were shining when they broke the kiss, most of them in her eyes.  
"Happy New Year, Scully"  
"Happy New Year, Mulder" 

The party began to break up sometime after that, guests drove away in cabs, most of them too drunk to drive.  
Byers left with Susan, Langly dragged Frohike with him to the cab. Mike wanted to stay and start on the clean up, but Mulder sent him home wishing him a good night.  
They were finally alone, tired but happy among ruins of a pub.  
Scully sat at the bar, helping herself to a selection of finger food that was left, he sat next to her and joined in.  
"This was fun" she said sipping last of her wine.  
"Good food, fine people, what more could you want" he looked tired, but happy, happier than he was most of last year.  
"Less booze for Frohike next time" she laughed  
"Yeah, he gets like that sometimes" Mulder smiled "No woman is safe around his irresistible charms"  
"He did try" her good natured laugh made him smile wide, he smiled so much this last couple of months.

 _Fairy tales can come true_  
_It can happen to you if you're young at heart_

Soft tones and dreamy strings filled the room. He got up and reached out for her hand "Dance with me"  
She didn't ask why, there was no why, she just got up slowly, suddenly realizing this was the first time they were really alone, their kiss still fresh in her mind. The light was dim, only twinkle lights shining under the mirror and around the lounge, making the room look like bathed in soft candle light.  
Mulder took her by the hand and brought it to his lips, brushing a gentle kiss over her fingertips as he pulled her close into his arms.

 _For it's hard, you will find_  
_To be narrow of mind if you're young at heart_

Something about the music made it the only way to do this. To rest her head on his chest, to feel him all around, like a fairy tale coming true. She fitted perfectly under his chin, her high heels making her lean on him lightly.  
He swayed gently, just enough to make it pass for a dance, and Scully listened to the sweet music, vaguely aware of being lead away from the bar. His step was light and it was easy to follow as he turned them around a bit faster at the end of the chorus. His low laugh that she felt more than heard, whispering "let's go crazy together". They were a pair of old souls forever young at heart.

 _And here is the best part, you have a head start_  
_If you are among the very young at heart_

With her last twirl and a delighted laugh she plopped on the couch, Mulder sank down next to her and she leaned into him with her arm under his and head on his shoulder.  
"I know I said no gifts" she said into his side  
"Scully" disbelief colored his voice, because for once he followed her rule "you didn't"  
"I wasn't planing on it, but I saw it at the store and had to do it"  
"I didn't get you anything" he might as well own up to it, he didn't plan any of this, the way the night turned out, him, her, like this.  
"That's okay, tonight was gift enough" her tone was filled with tenderness as she twined her finger though his, as if this was her gift, this moment between them, precious and priceless.  
"Can I see it?" He gave up, curiosity winning every time with him.  
"It's in my coat pocket"  
"I'll be right back" this New Years Eve, Day, Night, whatever, felt better than most Christmas he remembered.

Mulder came back with a small rectangle box, it didn't clink, or rattle, or made any other sound for that matter. Scully in the meantime found the blanket under the table and draped it over her knees, pumps discarded on the floor, legs curled beneath her, waiting for him to sit so she could snuggle back into her place at his side. He was starting to learn, that she was a bit like a cat, seeking warmth wherever she could find it.  
"Open it" she urged as he sat close to her, disposing with all pretense of anything platonic between them.  
Between layers of tissue paper he found two silk neckties and chuckled noticing the patterns on each of them. The first one was bright orange, with black arches and lines, crisscrossing in the pattern of a basketball, the other one was classic, simple and elegant, charcoal gray and deep blue stripes.  
"One serious, one fun" she explained sweetly.  
"Thank you" he kissed the top of her head resting back on his shoulder.  
"You're tired?"  
She hummed noncommittally "Not really, tell me a story"  
"About what"  
"Anything, just talk to me"  
Mulder thought _the hell with it_ , and putting one arm around her, pulled her to lie down next to him, which she did, willingly, throwing the blanket over the both of them and resting her head on his chest, one arm thrown around him.  
"Did you know there's a house in Maryland that's haunted for one night every year?"  
"Really?"  
"The story goes that it was Christmas, 1917. A time of dark, dark despair." Scully chuckled, trust Mulder to pick a spooky story for pillow talk "American soldiers were dying at an ungodly rate in a war-torn Europe while at home, a deadly strain of the flu virus attacked young and old alike. Tragedy was a visitor on every doorstep while a creeping hopelessness set in with every man, woman and child.  
"That's not the kind of story I had in mind" she said but he chose to ignore her protest and drew circles over her bare shoulder with the tip of his thumb, other arm folded under his head.  
"But at 1501 Larkspur Lane for a pair of star-crossed lovers tragedy came not from war or pestilence- not by the boot heel or the bombardier- but by their own innocent hand."  
"Go on."  
"His name was Maurice. He was a... a brooding but heroic young man beloved of Lyda, a sublime beauty with a light that seemed to follow her wherever she went. They were likened to two angels descended from heaven whom the gods could not protect from the horrors being visited upon this cold, grey earth. Driven by a tragic fear of separation they forged a lovers' pact so that they might spend eternity together and not spend one precious Christmas apart"  
"We should go see it sometime" she mused sleepily  
"Whenever you like" he kissed her forehead and felt her breath become deep and steady, already asleep the way only soldiers and doctors could manage somehow.  
He closed his eyes and made a New Year's resolution of his own

_Don't fuck this up_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Frank Sinatra ["Young At Heart"](https://open.spotify.com/track/4nt9FMhCYn37XcGEUogNXi)


	5. Irish Wake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for S01E13 "Beyond The Sea"

First days of January were filled with work.  
She left him on New Year's Day after a night spent on his couch and barely had time to think about what might be starting between them. All she was sure of, was that she wanted it, whatever it was.  
Night shifts were the hardest, she slept through the day just to get up and go back the next evening for a double helping of the same.  
It turned out mom and Missy had so much fun in San Francisco that they decided to stay and enjoy the sun for a bit, before coming back to a snowed in Washington, D.C. Dad came back though, but since the house was empty, Dana invited him to dinner, to catch up on news of her family and friends living on base where she spent a large chunk of her teen life. She cooked, they talked, and once again Dana realized how important the bond between herself and her Father was to her. He was Ahab, she was Starbuck and the memories of him reading "Moby Dick" with her were one of the most precious moments of her childhood she cherished to this day. 

"Are you going to leave this up all year?" He walked over to her Christmas tree and examined a snowflake ornament reflecting the blue light behind it. The light shone through the glas making it throw blue sparks over the palm of his hand. Wonderful craftsmanship.  
"Yup. All year. Since you always made us take the Christmas tree down the day after Christmas, I’m making up for lost time." Scully didn't tell him she was too tired to care about the mess and that she cleaned the needles ten minutes before he came.  
"If your idea of a good time is picking up dried pine needles, treat yourself." He teased and went to put on his coat. "Thank you for dinner"  
"You're always welcome" she smiled as he put his hands on her shoulders and placed a tender kiss on her forehead.  
"Good sailing, Ahab." She straightened and saluted playfully, as was their custom.  
"Goodnight, Starbuck." He smiled warmly but something in her face caught his eye and woke his concern "How's work, good?"  
"Yup, it's good." It wasn't a lie, she just couldn't bring herself to mention the long hours or Mulder and the fact that she was starting to miss him.  
William Scully wouldn't approve without going through the ritual of every father questioning the intentions of any man who might be involved in the life of his favorite daughter, twice. She didn't want to explain to him who Muder was and how big a part of her heart he might occupy. She needed time to think about it and be sure before she started to ease her father into the idea of her being with someone. Her work as a doctor was always very important to him, and being a very responsible and driven man himself, he expected no less from her.  
He seemed to take her word for it and left. She finished cleaning up, took a quick shower and went to bed.

At 1:47 am a phone call woke her up from a dream of her father, trying to tell her something, something she couldn't hear or understand.  
"Doctor Scully?" A familiar voice asked her, the tone soft and sad. "This is nurse Rodriguez"  
"Hello Sally, what happened?" She was starting to get up, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. Midnight wake up calls from work were a part of the job, she learned to live with that.  
"It's about your father, William Scully, He had a massive coronary about an hour ago."  
"What's his condition" Scully was instantly awake, throwing away the covers and springing out of the bed.  
"I'm sorry doctor Scully. He died" her heart froze, her lungs collapsed and she felt like she'll never take another breath again.

Somehow she got to the hospital, went through the motions of paperwork and random condolences from co-workers she met. She had a terrible phone call to make, which she did with the last of her strength. Mom, Missy and Bill, were on the next flight back to D.C. Nobody cared about sun anymore. The funeral arrangements had to wait till morning. 

She left the hospital and crossed the street, guided by the lights. 

"Boggs claims to have information relating to the kidnapping" Mulder filled the Gunmen in on the latest problem that came back to haunt him "He described Hawley’s bracelet down to the last detail. This is information that only family members could have known"  
"Or the kidnapper" Frohike finished the thought for him, sensing Mulder's skepticism, something quite rare and making the case twice as interesting.  
"So you believe that Boggs is orchestrating the kidnapping from the inside. A scam to save his life" Langly asked.  
"Luther Lee Boggs will take a seat in the North Carolina gas chamber and feels that if his talents help save these kids then his sentence should be reduced to life in prison" Mulder finished the last of his whiskey and started to pour another round for the four of them.  
"My profile helped send him there. He was actually strapped to the chair before receiving an executive stay. He claims that this experience activated in him the ability to channel spirits and demons. I believe in psychic ability, without a doubt, but not in this case. Not Boggs" disgust evident in his voice "At the age of six, Luther Boggs slaughtered every pet animal in his housing project. When he was thirty, he strangled five family members over Thanksgiving dinner and then sat down to watch the fourth quarter of the Detroit - Green Bay game. Some killers are projects of society. Some act out past abuses. Boggs kills because he likes it."  
"And they’ve requested you speak with him?" Byers was always concerned about his friend. He remembered the state he was in just before he decided to resign, and knew that dipping into the past never ended well for Mulder or his state of mind.  
"Actually, he’s requested to speak to me, he read my profile on him and he believes I’m the only one who truly understands...." Mulder broke off mid-sentence and looked to the door above their heads"

"Doc?" He began to smile, her presence a pleasant surprise that already was pulling him back into the light, but before he managed to regroup and greet her with whatever sleep walking joke that came to his mind, she shrugged out of her coat and he spotted her slumped shoulders and puffy red eyes.  
"Scully, what happened" he asked seriously as she sat down in the spot Langly made for her, noticing her distress and somehow feeling she needed to be surrounded by friends more than he did at the moment.  
"My dad" she spoke almost inaudibly "he died"  
Mulder's arms went around her, ignoring the bar between them and the guys around them. "I'm sorry" he whispered hiding her head in his shoulder, hugging her tight and a little awkward but not wanting to break the contact. When other consoling hands joined his on her back, she broke down, sobbing the way she refused herself to do in front of co-workers. This were her friends, she let go and embraced her feelings around them. 

Mulder held her for a long moment, stroking her hair and back, whispering soothing nothings into her ear until she calmed down and recomposed herself as much as she could, given the circumstances. Red nose, eyes cast down, his arms loosened around her and he made her look up, just to wipe the last tears from her cheeks with his thumbs.  
"Heart attack" she said quetly looking into his eyes "we had dinner last night, he looked fine" her voice hitched on her last words.  
Mulder set a glass for her on the bar, she noticed other drinks already poured for the rest of them.  
"We lost a great man today" he said solemnly filling it for her "Death leaves a heartache no one can heal" he declared raising his own glass in salute and the others joined him "but love leaves a memory no one can steal." They clinked their glasses and tossed back their drinks. An Irish wake was about to begin. 

From that moment Scully drank, a bit moderately, knowing she'll need her strength to face her family the next day, but the sentiment and soothing effect was clear. This was a time for memories. 

"My father used to read to me from Moby Dick when I was a little girl, I called him Ahab and he called me Starbuck." She said at some point, swirling whiskey around the ice.  
"Suits you" Mulder chanced a small smile, this sounded like one of the good one's. "My dad called me Mulder" he countered making her look up with question in her eyes "I made him do it, mom too" he smiled, noting her concern. Frohike was sleeping with his head on the bar. Langly was on his second root beer by Mulder's orders, he was the owner after all. Byers could hold his liquor, one of the least expected things one might say about him. Mulder was no light weight by any standards.  
"My parents named me John Fitzgerald Byers, after JFK" JFB thrown in for a good measure.  
"My father was a Navy Captain. I worshiped - - I worship the sea he sailed on " her voice was distant, lost at sea of memories "And when I was thirteen or so I went through this .... thing, where I would sneak out of my parents house and smoke my mother’s cigarettes. And I did it because I knew that if he found out, he would kill me." She sniffled "But now, after all this years, all I want to know" she looked at Mulder, eyes shining with new tears "was he proud of me?"  
"I'm sure he was" he said without hesitation, cupping her cheek and kissing away a stray tear.  
"I am, of who you are" he continued kissing her other cheek "what you do for people around you" pressed a kiss to her forehead "you are generous and kind and smarter than anyone I've ever met" finally resting his forehead against hers.  
"You're a wonderful human being and a beautiful woman, inside and out" holding her face in his hands he looked deep into her eyes "and don't let anyone tell you otherwise" and leaned in to press a kiss on her tear softened lips.

Not long after that they stood outside, her hand in his. The sun hasn't come up, though the town was starting to wake up.  
"I don't want to be alone" she said quietly to their twined hands.  
"Come on" Mulder pulled her around the corner of the very building that lend it's basement for his bar and lead her through the entrance where they took the elevator to the fourth floor.  
Fishing a bunch of keys out of his pocket he shoved one into the lock of a door at the end of the hall.  
"Come in" Mulder went inside and dropped the keys on the table. Switching on the lamps revealed a small kitchen and living room looking much like the lounge down stairs, only with a fish tank in the corner on a shelf next to a window facing desk.  
"Bedroom is yours" he said opening the doors to the side "bathroom's through there, if you want to shower or something. I'll find you a t-shirt to sleep in" he went to the closet and found a deep blue Knicks tee and a pair of sweats, too big but with a drawstring she could adjust to her needs. "I'll sleep on the couch" he finished handing her the clothes. "The towels are in the bathroom"  
Mulder thanked heavens he got around to straighten up the place that morning. It was part of his New Year's resolution, out with the old, in with the new. Not that he thought it would come to this so quickly. Her silence was beginning to make him question his plan, or rather the lack thereof, so he grabbed one pillow from the bed and ran. "I'll leave you to it, make yourself at home" he said heading for the couch.  
Scully was stunned, a quiet "Thank you" was all she could manage.

She found the bathroom and washed her face. Dressing fast, because the room was chilly, she thought that either Mulder ran hotter than most humans or he spent very little time at his apartment. She figured it was six of the one and half a dozen of the other. By the bedside table she found a fresh glass of water. Mulder poured the drinks, but it never was a drinking contest with him, if she felt like nursing one glass of wine through the whole evening she did. She always drank responsibly.  
Scully slipped between the cold sheets of an unfamiliar bed and tried to sleep. No such luck.

"Mulder?" After some time she called softly into the darkness and beyond the door she left open.  
"Yeah?" His voice sounded awake as she heard the crack of leather and saw the outline of his silhouette, dark against the green glow of the fish tank. She reached out one hand and he stepped inside, taking it and folding himself on the floor by the bed. He didn't lay down next to her, this was different, she was too fragile, it would feel like taking advantage.  
"Stay with me" she needed this, to hold on to herself without cutting him off completely.  
"Sure, can't sleep?"  
"How long have you lived here?" She asked instead of answering, trying to keep her grief contained and pushed back for the moment.  
"Two, no, three years" he said resting one arm on the bed, twining their fingers together. "I need to tell you something"  
He always found courage in darkness and realized it was time to reveal some of the past to her, she needed to know if they were to take things any further. "I lost someone too"  
"When?" She was instantly alarmed, feeling guilty she has missed something so big.  
"I was twelve when it happened. My sister was eight." he stroked her palm with his thumb trying to soothe her fear, this was old pain "She just disappeared out of her bed one night. Just gone, vanished. No note, no phone calls, no evidence of anything. Tore the family apart. No one would talk about it."  
"You never found her?" She wanted to come to him, pull him close, but didn't.  
"There were no facts to confirm, nothing to offer any hope" he continued in monotone that held more grief than tears. Tears were for fresh pain, not this.  
"What did you do"  
"I was just a kid, there wasn't much I could do. Eventually, I went off to school in England, I came back, got recruited by the bureau. Seems I had a natural aptitude for applying behavioral models to criminal cases. I joined the FBI. Worked as a profiler, but it's tough to live through most horrible cases there are. I had to get out, I chose life" he said firmly, like someone who had to repeat the reasons for his decision many times.  
"But before I did that, I came across the X-files. At first, it looked like a garbage dump for UFO sightings, alien abduction reports, the kind of stuff that most people laugh at as being ridiculous." She sometimes wondered where his fascination with the unexplained began, she never thought it came from his work for the government  
"But I was fascinated. I read all the cases I could get my hands on, hundreds of them. I read everything I could about paranormal phenomenon, about the occult and..." he broke off realizing he was starting to ramble.  
"There was classified government information I've being trying to access, but someone has been blocking my attempts to get at it. Someone at a higher level of power, and even my connections in congress weren't enough to allow me to continue with my work."  
"I'm telling you this, Scully, because you need to know. In my research, I've worked very closely with a man named Dr. Heitz Werber and he's taken me through deep regression hypnosis. I've been able to go into my own repressed memories to the night my sister disappeared. I can recall a bright light outside and a presence in the room. I was paralyzed, unable to respond to my sister's calls for help." He sounded ashamed, of his powerlessness, his failure to save her.  
"I know this things exist, the aliens, ghost, the occult, everything. But they wouldn't let me dig into it, they wanted me to stay with VCS, I was their star profiler. I knew better, I saw what happened to others before me, it was me or them. I chose my sanity, and continued my work outside the bureau, with the Gunmen"  
Scully listened enthralled, some things about him clicking into place, his empathy, his ability to read people and listen, his strange friends and interests. Until now she thought it was just a hobby, a quirky theme for a bar. But this was his life, to find his sister and bring her back.  
She pulled him off the ground and this time he went willingly, resting beside her under the covers as she wrapped her arms around him in the darkness. She felt the pain in his story, one he carried with him every day since he was twelve, and wanted to do something. She knew she couldn't fix this right away, with one kiss, one shot, a couple of pills or one cut of a scalpel. All she could give, was the strength to go on, be there for him, like he was for her tonight. She snuggled into his chest as his arms wrapped around her.  
"You'll find her" she whispered, and surrounded by his warmth she fell asleep.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" Mulder asked her that morning, or rather early afternoon as they slept through the actual morning. She was leaving for her apartment to change, then pick up the family from the airport and start making arrangements for the funeral.  
"I'm sure" she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his lips softly "but thank you"  
"I need to go to Raleigh but I will try to be back for the funeral"  
"I'll call you later tonight"  
"Okay" he caught himself before the next three words tumbled off his lips.  
"Stay safe" she said with a ghost of a smile and closed the door behind her. 

Scully couldn't reach him that night, nor the next one. The funeral was small, just closest family, her mother refused to bury her husband at Arlington, as was his right as a navy captain. Instead his ashes were given back to the sea.  
Scully stood at the pier alone, her heart filling with worry and grief. 

The next day she went back to work. She stopped by the ICU needing to speak with one of the doctors there and waited at the nurses desk.  
"Hi Dana, sorry I've kept you waiting" a young man rushed to meet her "I've heard about your father, my condolences"  
"Thank you"  
"Doctor Miller" the nurse interrupted them, handing Miller a thick file folder "Mr. Mulder's history, as you requested"  
"Mulder?" Scully's voice spiked with alarm in an instant "Fox Mulder?"  
"You know him?" Miller was mildly curious as he looked through the file  
"He's a friend" the doctor spotted her signature in the man's file "what happened, what room is he in"  
"GSW" he answered puzzled by her commanding voice mixed with concern "room 309"  
She was practically running, ignoring the reasonable course of asking for the details first. She pushed back the curtain and saw Mulder on the bed, drugged to the gils but conscious, his leg bandaged.  
"Hi Doc" he breathed weakly, she found him, his guardian angel, his Scully. He should never have gone back and waste time on that psycho. He should have stayed with her. As she leaned over him and touched his face, her hand was cold and shaking, her eyes filled with tears. He made her cry, he never wanted to do that.  
"The bullet went through his upper femur, a clean wound, he should be back on his feet in a couple of days" Miller saw the two of them, and decided that a courtesy towards a fellow doctor didn't violate this patient's right to confidentiality. "He needs rest Dana" he added before leaving to give them a moment of privacy.

"Don't cry" Mulder said reaching weakly to wipe the tear from her face.  
Scully rested her head on his chest and whispered "I can't lose you too"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clint Mansell ["Together We Will Live Forever"](https://open.spotify.com/track/2pr6us08iPNzIex5q6fMvI) from "The Fountain" soundtrack


	6. (Im)Patient

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for S01E14 "Gender Bender"

Mulder lasted about three days at home after he was released from the hospital. One afternoon, she found a note taped to his door  
_Downstairs, M_  
He managed to squeeze himself into his blue jeans (it seemed unthinkable for him to come to work in sweats), limp to the elevator and down the few steps. She found him sitting at the bar, going through papers and looking around the shelves behind it, scribbling something on a legal pad.  
"Nobody here but the FBI's most unwanted" he said in a singsong voice, glasses slipping down his nose adorably.  
"Mulder, what did I tell you about getting up?"  
"To limit it to a necessary minimum" he replied unconcerned, funny he chose just this day to be his own man. "This is the minimum I need to get things done. I have a business to run, I gotta pay the rent, gotta eat." He explained as she stepped into his space and kissed him, once.  
"Speaking of food, look what I've got" she showed him the bag full of Miss Yeoh's Chinese takeout. Their favorite as it turned out.  
"Marry me Scully" he said taking the bag out of her hands and smelling it's contents with an audible gulp.  
"I'll think about it, now eat up!"  
They dug in, dueling with chopsticks for best chunks of fried chicken and egg roll bites. Mulder took the prescribed pills and washed them down with some ice tea, to Scully's endless silent delight he did take his health seriously.  
"Just wait till I'm free of this damned crutches" he mused gathering the boxes and moving them behind the bar "I'll take you out to a proper dinner"  
"Are you asking me out?" She challenged sweetly, teasing him was so much fun.  
"Yes, Dana Scully" his tone official "will you have dinner with me in about three weeks time?" He left no room for doubt with that statement.  
"If you'll manage to stay safe and not break a leg until that time, then, yes, I'll go out to dinner with you" some stick, some carrot, men were so easy to keep in line.  
What she failed to remember, was that in about three weeks time, meant Valentine's Day. Mulder had plans. 

A week later Mulder was feeling well enough to move around the bar without the help of crutches, as long as he didn't have to stay on his feet for more than 10 minutes at a time. He managed with a stool behind the bar, where he sat and entertained regulars while Mike did most of the work.  
Scully was sitting in her usual spot, sipping beer on a Friday night.  
"Mike I think I never found out where are you from" She asked casually, watching Mulder stacking the fridge under the bar with soft drinks and wine. She liked her white cool, and the night was still young.  
"Sioux City, Iowa, best known for nearby Lake Okobogee. Best place for trout fishing and a well known UFO hotspot"  
"Oko-what?" She almost laughed  
"-bogee" Mulder straightened up and said it straight into her face. A puf of air hit her mouth and with ninja reflexes she shut him up with a quick peck on the lips making him laugh and pay back in kind. With three siblings Scully learned to stay sharp.  
"That's a long way from D.C, why move here?" She pushed Mulder away playfully covering his mouth with her palm before he got a chance to go for a serious liplock.  
"Don't laugh" Mike said sheepishly "I moved here for a girl but it didn't work out, in the meantime I got a job here and decided to hang around" she remembered his UFO tattoo and figured out why he and Mulder got along just fine.  
Scully giggled realizing the weird collection of geeks and odd-balls hanging around the pub had more in common than just a fondness for anything weird and a good drink. Mulder made a killer martini "Is this a broken hearts club?"  
"Not anymore" Mike smiled and seized the moment when Mulder was out of earshot "that brooding thing, it wasn't a joke, you're good for him Doc."  
Mulder seemed to have more skeletons in his 30-odd year old closet, than most people collected during a lifetime. "Was it bad?" She asked without fishing for details, though curiosity made her file that for future reference.  
"Not bad exactly, but if you saw him before, you'd see the difference" Scully ducked her head and smiled "he's much more relaxed than he used to be"  
"Who's much more relaxed" Mulder asked coming up from behind, hugging her and crossing his arms in front of her chest.  
"I am, this beer is great, works like magic" she looked at the label and read _McAnally's Dark Ale_ "I'd share but you're still on meds, right?" She pulled him to sit next to her  
"Sit down, you run around too much tonight" he obliged, but kept her hand in his as a price.  
"How are you holding up?" He asked quietly, honestly, thumb stroking her palm. They never talked about what happened the night her father died.  
"I'm okay" she replied, "as much I can be"  
She did feel the loss of her father deeply, a nagging thought in the back of her mind, moving to forefront at times, especially when mom called or Scully visited her at home. The emptiness he left behind was overwhelming. Through the years he spent at sea, she relied on her belief that he will return eventually, as a child would and should think. The thought sustained her through her early years, unlike her mother who worried he'll die alone, far from home, without anyone close at his side, which he basically did. Dana eventually realized the perils of her father's job and home, her's or her mother's, was where she missed him most now. The knowledge that he'll never come back, was crushing at times, but she soldiered on, kept moving as he would want her to do. Only here, she could find a few moments of respite.  
"That's good" Mulder said, still playing with her hand without looking up "just so you know, I'm here if you need me"  
"You are, right now" she kissed his cheek lightly "this is what I need"  
"GET A ROOM YOU TWO" Langly called from the door, shaking out snow from the fur rimed hood of his coat.  
"Mulder! out and about!" Frohike cheered right behind him  
"No rest for the wicked" he laughed and took the latest issue of "The Lone Gunman" shaking Byers's hand.

Days passed, Mulder healed fast. He needed to stay in motion, convinced that boredom would kill him since the round did not.  
Scully checked up on him, they now were spending each available night together at the bar. They learned things about each other. Mulder was short-sighted and mildly colorblind, Scully, although a doctor, knew her way around guns; that spiked his interest and he promised her a trip to the firing range and a steak, if she won. They both loved swimming, old movies, though different ones, couldn't agree on music, but were willing to try. Those facts were shared between spars over theories like do humans produce pheromones, or how the next strain of flu might be used as a quiet bio weapon against the far traveling world or what massage should be sent to aliens as a fair representation of achievements of human kind. Scully argued Bethoven's Ninth, Mulder said Star Trek, the jury was still out on this one.

"You see that guy?" Mulder nodded in the direction of two men sitting at the far end of the bar. One looked like a city playboy with a easy smile and predatory look in his eye. The other looked humble, modestly clad in black and white. The contrast between them was as striking. The calm one was talking and the colorful one was making a point of ignoring him, much more interested in his own reflection in the mirror behind the bar. "He's a shapeshifter"  
Scully scoffed at the idea but ignored the obvious 'there's-no-such-thing-as-shape-shifters-Mulder' line of argument, just for fun. "how can you possibly know that?"  
"I saw him before" Mulder lowered his voice so that Scully had to lean in to hear him over the music in the background "one night, a guy came in and ordered whiskey sour"  
Scully snorted "And that supposed to prove what?"  
"Let me finish" he leaned on the counter, chin resting in the palm of his hand with absolutely no regard for her personal space "Later that night, a woman came by, ordered club soda on ice and left after twenty minutes, paid cash"  
"So?" She pushed him to make his point. He liked to do that, hold a crucial fact back just to keep her on the edge of her seat. It was as fascinating as it was infuriating. Luckily she loved his spooky stories as much as he loved her poking and prodding and science-ing the crap out of them, so he never left her hanging for too long.  
"She was wearing exactly the same clothes as the man who came earlier"  
"How do you know it were the same clothes?" Talk about flimsy evidence.  
"Eidetic memory, I might miss something in the face, they looked completely different anyway, but the clothes I'll always get right"  
"That doesn't sound creepy, at all." Scully bit at the end of the straw she used to poke at the lime in her drink.  
"Maybe you're right" Mulder laughed.  
"Beware, I might pull a prank on you one night"  
"You wouldn't dare!"  
"Wanna bet?" She smiled taking a sip.  
"What will I get if I win?" A dozen different scenarios ran through his head as he tried to raise the stakes on this one.  
"Maybe not" Scully folded her hand before he could call her bluff, and decided to change the game on him, for fun.  
"You know" she mused out loud looking back to the men they were talking about "he looks kind of hot, maybe I'll go and say hi"  
The more outgoing man looked at her over the shoulder of his companion. Their eyes met and Scully felt something, a pull towards him she didn't understand. Her blood rushed through her from just the look he gave her and suddenly the room went quiet around them.  
"Hey" Mulder saw her cheeks flush, her pupils dilate, and put one finger on her chin, gently pulling her back to face him "you're trying to make me jealous?" He didn't know what just happened but leaned in and stopped half and inch from her lips just in case "because I'm not letting you go without a fight"  
Scully's blues met his hazel green eyes and the warm feeling she felt just a second ago didn't vanish somehow. She parted her lips and closed the gap, kissing him, tongue pressed with confidence against his full lower lip, seeking a way in and finding it open.  
Mulder's doubts died a quick silent death and his hand rested on the side of her neck, keeping her close, thumb stroking behind her ear over a spot that drove her positively mad. She tasted like lime and gin and tonic and heaven and Mulder got lost in the hot wetness of her mouth, their tongues slowing down, savoring and learning as hearts beat fast. Polite company? What company, it was just him, and her, and a low moan he caught in his mouth before anyone could hear them, he will never share it with anyone, in case this might be the last one he'll get.  
She ran her fingers through his hair, soft hand caressed the nape of his neck, one small finger inching under the collar of his shirt, kneading, pulling him in, closer...  
A sudden loud howling whistle startled them, and they froze mid kiss, lips still pressed together, standing on the edge of reality, own the kiss and run with it or deny it and run away from it... the truth was catching up to them fast.  
With a slow breath Mulder felt her lips retreat, gentle, unhurried, not running. She wound the kiss down, rounding it with a last soft brush of her lips, like a balm to his mouth, a coma instead of full stop. Neither did she pull away completely, only rested her forehead on his shoulder as he ran fingers through her hair once more. Both of them calming down, both prolonging the moment. 

Mulder looked up to the two men now starring at them openly, the bold one smiled a predatory smile, the calm one looked terrified. The playboy got up and barked something dripping with contempt to the other guy and left without looking back. His companion dropped a few bills on the counter and followed without a word, resolve mixed with sadness in his eyes as he looked one last time at Mulder and Scully, still holding each other tight. The air was thick with something, but he didn't know what.  
Mulder looked down and whispered into her ear "Dinner tomorrow night?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Rolling Stones ["Beast Of Burden"](https://open.spotify.com/track/5AoI7pfHdl87BQ93rKZXk9)


	7. A Case Of You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW

Thank God it wasn't exactly Valentine's.  
Initially the plan was to take her out on the 14th, but that kiss ruined his plans in the best way possible. He thought about the crowds, the tacky hearts and forced romance and decided it wasn't them.  
The place he chose was small but had no problem with his last minute reservation and he was confident the food would be great.  
Mulder debating what to wear, decided to go with fun, with a dark shirt and suit as a backdrop for the vibrant tie.  
At 6:30 he knocked at her door, a bunch of red carnations in hand. Roses weren't him either, pretty at the florist, dead two days after. Carnations lasted for weeks, if taken care of, a girl in college told him once, and he lived by it. Not Phoebe, damn her blackened soul, she cared nothing for hearts and flowers. Especially not his. 

Scully had the rare weekend off.  
She took the time to get ready glad that a dress was no problem at least. A slim fitting little black dress, she went for simple elegance with only her gold cross and diamond earrings, a gift from her father, after she graduated from med school, chosen as a nod to his memory.  
Hair pinned up, with a few strands framing her face, she knew that if by any chance... no, too soon to think about that, she scolded herself trying to suppress a smile. It's just dinner, just a night out...  
With Mulder... who kissed like a god. How did he know what she liked? Most guys fumbled around, missed the spot, too much grabby hands too soon, she hated that. She didn't like to hurry because it was different each time and small steps meant the guy was in for the long haul. And that kiss, how did that happen? The very thought of the slow languid strokes of his tongue in her mouth defeated the purpose of applying blush. Yes, they have kissed before, but it was always sweet and tender, filled with promises. The kiss last night was like a first of those promises being kept, and she kissed him first no less! So far things that started like that ended bad for her, usually because she wanted someone whom she couldn't have, but this was Mulder so she made an effort to believe things will be different this time.  
She brushed the mascara over her eyelashes, lips slightly parted so her eyelid wouldn't flutter, because her hand did shake with excitement. Excitement and fear, that tonight she might gain a lover of lose a friend. She was fairly certain the chance of the latter were slim, but she tried to plan for the worst as she hoped for the best, even if she had no idea where even begin to look for a plan B.  
A wool coat and stockings, who said Dana Scully didn't know how to go crazy! The moment she zipped up her high heeled boots she heard a knock. 

"Hi" Mulder greeted her, taking in the low square neckline of her dress and the magic thing it did to reveal only hints of what might be the most perfect pair of breasts he's ever seen.  
"Hi" Scully turned to shut the door and gave him a precious second to gather his jaw off the floor. And he thought she looked gorgeous at the New Year's Eve party. How silly was he. "These are for you" he handed her the flowers and she brought them to her nose, breathing in the subtle fragrance.  
"They're beautiful, thank you" she said turning and heading for the kitchen to put them in water. Mulder stood corrected, her ass looked even better in that dress, the high heels making her hips sway gently as she walked away. That woman will be the end of him, if she looked this good dressed he didn't dare to imagine show she looked naked. He felt warm instantly and had to unbutton his coat for a moment.  
She looked back to him and noticed his tie and shirt, managing not to laugh because after all, he was wearing her gift. "Mulder, you look like a high school basketball coach trying to look fun chaperoning the prom."  
"Heeeyyyy..." he shifted uncomfortably because that kind of hurt his feelings, but only until she stepped around the table and came closer.  
Standing on her tiptoes she kissed him sweetly and reached to pull the tie from around his neck and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt.  
With the smile her kiss caused him, he once again looked like a picture of confidence framed in casual nonchalance she knew and loved, only more drop-dead handsome, if that was even possible. She folded the tie in half and draped it over the back of the couch. "You'll get it back"  
Mulder was going to make sure of that, because this was quickly becoming his favorite tie.  
"Come on" he took her coat, helped her put it on and offered his arm which she took "the cab is waiting"

The restaurant was small, just a few tables, two waiters and, to her delight, a young man playing piano in the corner of the room, probably son of the owner. The kid had talent and imagination, Scully appreciated that.  
Somewhere between main course and desert Mulder moved from the chair to the plush seat beside her. He continued to conquer her personal space, his arm on the back of the seat, casually draped around her, as if unaware of the intimacy it projected. Scully herself only realized it, because of the warmth that he brought with him. It felt almost as natural as breathing, to touch him, to be touched, to keep him in. With other men it took months to get here, if it ever did. She felt very relaxed around him, as if all the small touches and kisses they shared before had no other purpose than say _"I'm here"_.  
"Mulder, what made you open up a bar?"  
"Hmmm?" Mulder seemed fascinated by the cut of her earring.  
"I mean, you left the FBI, but you're still a psychologist, why not open a practice, live comfortably doing nothing but listening to congressmen complain about wives and mistresses?"  
He chuckled "that's just it, I wasn't that good at listening to other people's problems and fears. A real therapist knows what to do with it, not me. I'd suck up all their angst and sooner or later I would come across some lost soul that would drag me down with him. I can't, I care too much sometimes for it to be healthy. And I was a profiler, I lived for the puzzle, not confessions of others"  
"But why a bar? Why not grocery store or a book store or heck, go crazy, a hair salon!"  
Mulder laughed "Yeah, grocery store seems safest, but can you imagine?" He took up a mock french accent playing with a strand of hair that fell down her cheek "Oh Miss Scoolly, so good to see you again so soon, what will we do today? It's too early for color, you look marvelous, how do you do it, with more customers like you I'd be out of business, how about a little trim, half an inch from the sides, it will transform your life, I guarantee!" She ducked her head and laughed a loud belly laugh making his night just like that.  
"I could see the ladies lining up for three blocks. We need a name for that, let me think" she giggled "Mulder's Coiffeurs or better Fox's Curls and Tresses"  
"No, not that" he groaned rolling his eyes "I hate my first name"  
"Why? It's so original, and graphic, no wait, I know, you could sell hats! Your store sign would have a pretty girl with a fox's tail falling down her shoulder from the brim of her hat"  
"Yeah, animal lovers would love that" he snorted  
"Oh, right, haven't thought of that" she noticed the line between silly and honest approaching and backed down.  
"I can't sleep" Mulder's tone indeed turned honest "It's as simple as that. Insomnia had me staying up all night since I was twelve" with a bit of sadness in his eyes he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and brushed the back of his hand over her sensitive spot, making a shiver run down her spine. She ignored it for now, this was more important.  
"Before I left the bureau, I spent a year going through old X-files. And most of that time, my day consisted of getting up, going to work, sitting alone in the basement and reading, then going home to an empty apartment, not sleep for hours, insomnia in full swing at that time, eventually crash for maybe two hours, nightmares waiting the moment I closed my eyes" Scully took care to listen and remember every word he said, so he wouldn't have to go through this story again.  
"Profiling did horrible things to me before that, and I was alone, week in week out. The most significant human interaction I would get, was an occasional night out with the Gunmen and "99 cents" from a dead tired clerk at the kiosk where I bought sunflower seeds every day"  
She felt bad for asking "I'm sorry, I shouldn't ask"  
"No" Mulder objected taking her hand to reassure her "it's okay, because that was the moment I decided that I needed a change. X-files were going nowhere, and by that time I read enough, that I could fill my own Library Of Congress section on paranormal and unexplained. Cases that landed on FBI's lap reached as far as the 2nd World War, and Roswell. Cold war must have been a real page turner judging by the number of censored files and no one was doing anything about it, and no one planed to." He was no longer sad, the fire was back in his eyes.  
"That was when I realized our government doesn't care about the people, only his own twisted agenda and I couldn't support that. I crossed the the F and the B, and focused on I in the FBI. You know I write for "The Lone Gunman", under a pseudonym naturally, but it's something I could never do if I worked for the bureau. I travel sometimes, talk to people, write down their stories and give them voice, so others would know, that they are not alone, there are people with similar experiences and the fact that I can do something for them, gave me the strength to keep going, to keep looking. For Sam, to know what happened the night she disappeared." The pure conviction in his voice took her breath away "The truth is out there. And it won't stay hidden in their basements forever"  
"And the bar?"  
"It's a way to keep me sane" Mulder chuckled "to keep that human connection alive and well. That year in the basement, it was bad, to be that disconnected made my mind fester. I realized I needed to be around people, and like you said, there's a bit of a therapist in every bartender" he smiled and reached for the bottle of wine to fill her glass "I pour drinks, I listen. The difference is that I have a fancy diploma to back it up. 'The Believer' is always open for people with strange stories and memories to share, and besides" he smiled at her broadly, back to here and now from the depths of his past "I'm not sure I would ever meet you, if I'd still carry a badge"  
Scully listened, truly amazed. Once again Mulder's story was not what she expected to hear, not on a first date anyway. She had no words to begin describing the feeling his journey evoked in her, so she cupped his cheek and kissed him. This man so remarkable she wouldn't believe he was real.  
He saw it, too much awe, too much pride. He didn't want it, he knew he never deserved it, so he kissed her back, resting one hand on the curve of her waist, parting her lips with his tongue, deepening the kiss for two heartbeats, barely decent, bold enough to kick down that pedestal he saw in her eyes.  
"Mulder" she had to squeeze in the warning between arousal and want in her tone, if they were at the bar, this thing might escalate pretty quickly.  
"What? Desert?" He kissed her again, quick, deep and hot "I think you're right, what would you like"  
"You" she whispered pressing her lips, chastely this time, to the corner of his mouth.  
"You've got that" he teased "but I feel like I need to redeem myself after dumping my past on you, so tell me" she leaned back, her hand back in his while he made due with kissing her knuckles, happy he managed to wake her desire, he wanted her to know and still want him, not worship or admire "what would you like"  
"Ice cream sundae" she said without skipping a beat "and we share, it's a Valentine's Day date requirement"  
Two spoons, a ton of chocolate and Scully's giggles saved them for the moment. 

They took a cab back to her place, the night was cold. Mulder got out to help her and she took his hand as her feet touched the pavement. It was a moment of silent agreement, her hand squeezed his, she took a step without letting go, and he knew to pay the driver and let her take him upstairs to her apartment.

Scully's heart pounded in her chest, as she searched for keys in her small purse, Mulder less than an inch behind her. She found it, let them in, and turned to find his warm soft lips. He took her face in his hands, warming her cold cheeks, as she unbuttoned his coat to slip her arms around him.  
He kissed her slowly, thoroughly, as his hands traveled down her shoulders to the buttons on her coat. He helped her slip out of it, tossing it to the back of the couch, then pulled on her scarf. Blue silk freed her perfume, and again he felt dizzy from it, compelled to bury his face in her neck, this time by way of kisses.  
His coat landed next to hers, mouths searching, missing targets, sloppy but increasingly more fun with each step that brought them farther inside the apartment. He stepped out of his shoes as she peeled of his jacket. Scully bumped into the back of the couch, walking backwards, and he knelled to unzip her boots and pull them off her small feet for her.  
She looked stunning, as she pulled one pin from her chignon and her hair fell down in soft waves down her shoulders. Without looking away from her eyes, Mulder ran his hands up the back of her calves and stood up, towering over her for the briefest moment, before he picked her off the floor, hands grabbing the backs of her thighs, _stockings dear God_ , the word goddess flashing through his mind. Scully's legs went around his waist, arms around shoulders, she did not fight for fear she'd topple them over, and he carried her through to the bedroom, ignoring her protests, _your leg, no need, I can walk,_ he was def to her concern over him or his health at the moment. He pleaded temporary insanity from her breasts pressed against his chest through silk and satin of their clothes.  
"Mulder" she breathed into his ear, holding on to him as he reached to push the door open "condoms, bathroom, medicine cabinet" he didn't stop but walked in and put her down on her feet. He took her hand and without a word slipped it into his pants pocket, smiling as her palm closed around two foil packets and brushed against the erection that was already starting to feel uncomfortable.  
"Small steps, Scully" he reached around her and found the tab on the zipper of her dress "I wouldn't do this if I wasn't prepared" and started to pull it down slowly.  
"I saw your blood work" she explained taking her hand out of his pocket and dropping the condoms on the bed "and I'm on the pill but..." he shushed her with a soft kiss, hands caressing her bare skin on the way up to her shoulders.  
"I know, small steps" a kiss to the side of her neck and a brush of his fingers and the dress pooled around her feet with a whisper of satin. Black lace and silk stockings were all she got left and felt like he was definitely overdressed.  
"You need some help?" Scully reached to the bedside table and turned on the lamp. Soft light filed the room and the sight stunned Mulder into silence. He could do nothing but stare at her skin, body all soft curves and freckles and female perfection standing before him.  
She reached up and made quick work of the buttons on his shirt, pulling it from his pants, already bulging impressively. Scully pulled the belt from the loops of his pants and dropped it to the floor, taking a step around to switch places and push him on the bed behind him.  
"You run around too much, I told you that already" she hovered above him, keeping her tone playful and slowly unbuttoning his pants to pull them down, mindful of his recent injury. His socks followed suit as she knelt down on the floor between his knees and she looked up. He was looking at her, propped up on his elbows, his erection straining his briefs.  
"Scully, are you sure?" He asked quietly, not concerned, just making sure.  
"If I wasn't" she replied with confidence, standing up and resting her toes on his knee "we wouldn't be here"  
Mulder got rid of his doubts and reached to peel the last of the silk and lace of her body. 

Scully laid on the bed, his face inches from hers, watching each change in her expression as he ran two fingers between her thighs, learning what made her tick, following her hand.  
They fumbled at first and he decided to just let her take the lead. Now she was straining against him, arching her back. He kissed her from time to time, wet sloppy kisses, all soft brushes of languid tongues. He kissed her breasts and nibbled on her nipples, and shoulder and neck, but now he was watching her knead the soft flesh and pinch the hard tip of it and circling around it with her thumbnail. Each moan was like a reward for a well aimed stroke of his hand. He dipped two fingers inside her, her clit swelled as he brushed past it from time to time. He returned there but not too often, she was very responsive to what he did for her. Sometimes her finger joined his, showing him what to do and how, but mostly she just let him explore, take his time.  
"Like that" she threw her head back and he felt her walls soften under his touch, become pliant, ready for him to join in on the fun. Mulder knew his leg was not yet 100 percent healed, so he brought her as close to the edge as possible without wasting the strength he knew he would need.  
She thought he was teasing when his hand moved away, but as his weight shifted and the tip of his cock started to push inside her, she made herself open and welcomed him into her arms. The sensation was pure and undiluted bliss.  
"You feel so good" she whispered pulling his lips to hers, her tongue in his mouth as hot as her center.  
"I've wanted you since you tossed back that first shot of whiskey at the bar with me" he confessed pulling her knee up and around his hip, shifting so that most of his weight rested on his good side, and started to pump into her slowly, like he did earlier with his fingers "you trusted me, I see that now"  
"I never did that" she panted as he started picking up pace "let a guy talk me into doing something" she dropped a kiss on his parted lips "but with you it felt different" her one hand pushed between them and found her clit, the other scratched down his back all the way to his ass, she relished the way his muscles flexed with each thrust "like this"  
Mulder wasn't sure if she was speaking of that night or urging him on "like what"  
"Amazing" she breathed, and he could do nothing else but agree. He felt himself quicken, as she swelled around him. Their lips met and she was whimpering softly with his each thrust, now urgent and hard.  
"Keep going, like that" her finger moved fast in tight circles "Mulder, oh God, I'm going to..." she didn't need to finish because just then her body spasmed under and around him, but Scully held on, her hand still working her sensitive clit. She tried to pull him inside her, her free arm now tight around his shoulders, her hand at the nape of his neck, her lips at his ear  
"Let go, come for me" and she ran her tongue around his ear, bit his earlobe and he couldn't fight it anymore, he came and fell and she caught him. 

It was her turn to watch him, limbs intertwined, bodies sated, sheets pulled warm around them.  
"What do you do to me" he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear with a tenderness she hasn't felt since she was a kid.  
"What do you mean?"  
"I feel like you just moved in here" he said taking her hand and placing it over his heart "and started redecorating"  
"Do I get the attic as well?" Scully chanced a joke, kissing his temple and running fingers through his hair, silky smooth and soft, now she knew he liked that.  
"If you don't mind the toys there" he teased back, self deprecating was his idea of honest when speaking about himself.  
"Mulder, you are a good man" she told him, kissing his lower lip gently, she knew it and felt it, and that made it as good as true for her.  
"I'm Spooky Mulder howling at the moon" he countered, a faint sleepy smile tugging at the corner of his lips.  
"No, you care about people, that's noble, you're like a white knight that way" she explained, feeling his midnight stubble with the back of her fingers.  
"Wait" he looked alarmed for a moment "not like Don Quixote or something, right?"  
"What you want me to stroke your ego some more?" She reached under the covers and found his shaft, running her palm up and down it's length and circling the head with her thumb. His eyes rolled back as he started to get hard again, she was beginning to love how he could not resist her.  
"That's not where it's at, but it has a direct line"  
"Shut up Mulder" she straddled his hips and kissed him for real this time.

The next morning Mulder woke up in Scully's bed. In pain. He untangled himself from her small warm body, asleep with her back against his chest, and knowing it was impossible not to wake her, he turned onto his back and groaned. His thigh was killing him.  
"Mulder?" Her sleepy voice sounded concerned as she turned to face him "what's wrong"  
"My leg" was all he could manage to say, the pain was spreading to his hip and lower back. She uncovered his side and saw no bruising or alarming swelling around the freshly healed wound.  
"You pushed yourself last night" she covered him and started to get up "I told you not to carry me"  
"Adrenaline rush Doc, couldn't help it" he joked, but really felt terrible "where are you going?"  
"I'll be right back" she kissed his forehead and left him to his suffering.  
Scully went to the kitchen, tying the robe around her waist and noting in passing the path of clothes they left behind last night. They needed coffee. She opened her fridge, scanning it's contents and finding it satisfactory, took out the coffee and started a fresh pot.  
"Take this" she came back handing Mulder one pill and a glass of water, and noticing his hesitation clarified "it's Tylenol 3" then pulled the covers back of his leg and covered it with a bag of frozen peas "bad news, you're not going anywhere today"  
Mulder looked at her and barked out a strained laugh "and how is that bad news?"  
His reaction shook her out of her doctor persona and she realized what she just said.  
"Right" she laughed and leaned over to kiss his smiling lips "happy Valentine's Day Mulder"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> James Blake - ["A Case Of You"](https://open.spotify.com/track/39PCdFgfywR9PbCl1q3wHU)  
> James Blake - ["Limit To Your Love"](https://open.spotify.com/track/2GaAWaIazp02G4PZJV0gxX)


	8. Monday, Lazy Monday

Scully made breakfast. Or she wanted to. She reached into the fridge to take out a carton of eggs and realized that the last time she cooked for someone was the day her father died. She stood frozen in place, carton in hand, other hand on the door handle, trying to catch herself before she cried.  
She didn't have to. Mulder's arm went around her and he kissed her cheek, reaching for the eggs.  
"Let me do it" he said softly. She nodded. 

"Mulder, you cook?" Scully sat at the kitchen table sipping coffee.  
"No, I eat takeout for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and order pizza if I'm in the mood for a midnight snack" he cracked the egg into a bowl "of course I cook"  
He was a sight, in suit pants and undershirt, hair wet from the shower. Pills took about half an hour to kick in and he was as good as new.  
"I mean, I'm no chef, but I can fend for myself" he cracked the last egg, picked up the shells, dumped them into trash, wiped the spilled egg whites off the counter with his hand and rinsed it under the tap. He was neat too, well, neat-ish, she'd use a rag.  
Bread landed in the toaster, eggs sizzled in the pan.  
"Black pepper"  
"Cupboard on your left, is there anything you can't do?"  
She had so many questions that Mulder began to feel like he was interrogated.  
"I can't fix a car, and anything around electricity, power sockets, light switches, I stay away from that. Changing a light bulb, tire, take out one thing and exchange it for another stuff, that's all I'll risk"  
Bacon on plates, eggs on the side, toast on the table, jam in the jar. Mulder set a plate before her and leaned in to kiss her.  
"I can touch the tip of my nose with my tongue" he whispered with a wicked smile half an inch from her mouth.  
"A useful skill no doubt" she grinned  
"I'll show you later if you want" He kissed the tip of her nose and sat down "Enjoy!" 

They stayed on the sofa until lunch, she sat in the corner, Mulder's head in her lap. She made him lie down and rest his leg and this was the only way to keep him in place. Music played in the background, and it was Mulder's turn to grill her.  
"Favorite food"  
"Pizza"  
"No way! You have more lettuce in your fridge than a reasonably sized rabbit family could eat for a week" she slapped his chest playfully.  
"Stress and irregular hours, being a doctor isn't very healthy so I try to watch what I eat when I'm home" he nodded playing with her hand "but I like to treat myself from time to time"  
"Like comfort food"  
"Yeah, next question"  
"Pet peeve"  
"Toothpaste squeezed from the middle of the tube, mess in the bathroom in general"  
"I'll keep that in mind, popcorn salted or buttered"  
"Salted, but not too much"  
"Elvis, dead or alive?"  
"What?"  
"What do you think, is Elvis really dead or just went into hiding, laid back somewhere quiet"  
"People die" her tone turned soft and he looked up at her "he lives through his music I guess"  
He kissed her knuckles and smiled "good answer"  
"How many questions have you got there Will Graham"  
"Well Clarice, just one, for now" he smiled figuring Scully would be the book loving kind, going for the second novel reference instead of the movie most people saw "I don't know yours, although you know mine" he challenged her with a puzzle.  
"Blood type?"  
"No. Birthday" Mulder looked at her upside down waiting, going from amused and curious to afraid and concerned as seconds ticked by.  
"Have I already missed it?" Her silence was torture, imagining she celebrated it with someone else, someone closer to her than he was, some other best friend he didn't know about. He started to sit up but she pulled him back down, then leaned over and kissed him, soft and gentle.  
"You didn't miss it, it's February 23rd"  
"NINE DAYS!" He exclaimed "good thing I asked, tried to slip it by me, eh?"  
"No gifts, and no surprise parties" she warned him.  
"You know I can't promise you that" Mulder played with her hand, lacing their fingers together, as she played with his hair "I owe you one for the tie, and technically, it wouldn't be a surprise because you know I know and it's too close for 'I forgot' to pass" Scully sighed "are you working that night?"  
"No" she could tell by his smile there was some serious plotting and planing happening right now. Mulder noticed her concern.  
"Relax Doc, I see you're not used to making a big production out of it" he dropped a kiss on her fingers "it'll be just us, maybe Gunmen, you could call Missy if she's in town."  
"She might be, I don't know" his words did ease some of the tension  
"Call her, I promise I won't even close the bar for the night"  
"Okay" she gave up, once Mulder fixated on an idea, there was no changing his mind.

A while later Scully went about making lunch while Mulder called Mike and left him in charge for the night. Valentine's Day wasn't a slow night at "The Believer" but somehow he had the feeling he wouldn't be great company for the particular brand of customer seeking refuge from the rain of hearts, the romantically challenged kind.  
Soup and sandwiches was interrupted by a phone call.  
"Hello" Scully picked up before she sat down.  
"Hi honey, how are you today" her mother sounded calm, a good sign.  
"Hi mom, I'm fine, you?" Mulder looked at her from his spot on the floor, giving her an arched eyebrow _fine?_  
"I'm okay, I'm just calling, because I know I invited you to dinner tonight" Scully slapped her forehead and Mulder huffed out a laugh, she totally forgot "but something came up at the Church and we'll need to take a rain check"  
"That's okay, we can always meet some other time" Mulder found the tv remote and turned the volume down, then tried to eat his soup and grimaced burning his tongue.  
"Let me know when you'll have a day off next time, we'll have lunch"  
"Sure mom, oh, one thing, you know when Missy will be back in town?"  
"I don't know honey, but she left a number, you can call her if you want"  
Scully taped Mulder's shoulder and pointed to the pen and notebook under the coffee table, he handed it to her and she wrote down the number.  
"Okay, I have to go now, take care of yourself Dana"  
"Okay mom, love you"  
"Love you too honey, bye"  
She hung up and slid off the sofa to sit on the floor next to Mulder  
"Just 'fine'?" He teased picking a slice of cucumber from his sandwich  
"My mom might not be ready for us just yet"  
"'Us', I like the sound of that" he put one arm around her and dropped a kiss on her shoulder, it looked like he was physically incapable of keeping his hands to himself, not that she was complaining or anything. She only barely managed to stop herself from jumping his bones, he might seem fine right now but it could be the painkillers, no need to rush things.  
"Eat your soup Mulder"

They crashed on the sofa after lunch, the movie lulled him first, as if all he needed was a blanket and her to cuddle with, and his slow steady breathing rocked her to sleep.  
After dinner, pizza to make the day perfect, Scully took him home. And that was the limit of their ability to keep hands of each other. Scully took the reins this time and Mulder had no problem with that. His bed felt like heaven that night.

"Scully" a soft voice in her ear woke her up "Scully wake up" she shifted mumbling something about ten more minutes "I'd love that Doc, but your shift starts in 15"  
Her eyes sprang open and she jumped out of bed as Mulder laughed "shower, on your left, coffee's waiting"  
She showered and dressed in ten minutes flat and even managed to grab a sip of coffee and a toast he laid out.  
She was already late but Mulder stopped her by the door. He caught her around the waist and planted a single kiss on her lips, soft but determined, and just as she started to lean into it he let go of her and pulled the door open "Run!"  
"Bye!" She called over her shoulder running to the door leading to the stairwell, ignoring the elevator altogether.  
Mulder shut the door behind her and looked in the mirror at the guy with two day stubble and a smile splitting his face in half. He pointed a finger at him at said out loud with a solid warning "don't fuck this up"

"I'll be damned" Frohike settled himself at the bar straightening his glasses to have a better look at his friend on the other side "gentlemen, can you hear that? That is the sound of hundreds of female hearts breaking around the greater Washington DC area"  
"What do you mean" Langly asked sitting down next to him  
"We just lost a comrade"  
"Scully?" Byers guessed, but Mulder said nothing, his head down, busy polishing the glass in his hands.  
"That would be my guess, I know a goner when I see one" Frohike declared, waiting for Mulder to look up.  
His shit eating grin was all the answer they needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keaton Henson - ["You Don't Know How Lucky You Are"](https://open.spotify.com/track/7L4w1yQnlhqo4oUjpW53wz)


	9. It's In His Keys

"Hi Missy, it's Dana call me" the answering machine beeped and spoke in her sister's voice and Missy rushed to pick up the receiver before she missed the call.  
"Dana, hi! I was just thinking about you" she set the bag of groceries on the table and trapped the phone between her ear and shoulder to fish out the ice cream before it melted completely.  
"Spooky" Dana laughed on the other end of the line  
"You would know, right?" Missy liked teasing her baby sister, and what else to tease her about than her newest 'what-exactly'? "How's love life?"  
"You don't beat around the bush, do you"  
"Life's too short and all that" a pause on the other end calmed them both down "How's mom doing"  
"She's better, but still long way from fine" Dana said realizing she didn't call her mother in four days and should do that first thing after she hangs up.  
"That's good, she'll get there eventually, but you, let's talk about you, you're definitely on the up-most end of the fine-spectrum" Melissa wasn't one to stay sad for long, she missed her dad, but in her world, death was a fact of life. Wherever he was, he would always live in her heart.  
"Does it show that much?" Dana laughed  
"I can see the light from here, how's Mulder"  
"He's fine" something in the way she said those words lit up a red light in Missy's mind.  
"Fine-fine or fiiiineeee-fine"  
"Missy" Dana blushed at the suggestion in her sister's voice then laughed "he's more than fiiiiineeeee"  
"You did it" Missy positively squealed with delight "you slept with him"  
There was no use for secrets between these two sisters "Eventually, yeah"  
"So, you're saying that not much of actual sleeping was involved? This must be fresh news then"  
"Don't laugh, because I know what I said all these years"  
"Valentine's?" She decided Missy knew her too well for her own good "The least romantic holiday in the calendar? Get out!"  
"Well, technically it was the day before, but you get the idea"  
"Tell me everything" and Dana did, not everything of course, just the facts, more like bullet points than a story really, but Missy had enough imagination to fill in the blanks, with whatever she liked.  
"Wow" was all she could say once her sister finished.  
"Missy" Dana said quietly "I think I'm falling for him"  
"You think?" Missy sat on the couch and played with the fringe on her scarf "Dana, I saw the guy once so I can tell you only one thing"  
"What?"  
"Bill will hate him" Dana had to laugh "and you know, that's the best recommendation a guy could get in our family"  
"Yeah, I just hope Charlie will like him"  
"Charlie's never around, I'm sure he will though, if he ever stops by"  
"I haven't told mom either" a bit of shame tinged her voice "I don't have the heart"  
"Take your time, mom isn't ready for something like this, not yet anyway, imagine if she'd get her hopes up, you guys wouldn't hear the end of 'the talk' until she'd see a wedding ring on your finger, and if it falls through, wow, even I can't imagine the mess we'd have to clean up"  
"Thanks" Dana commented, leaning on the sarcasm.  
"All I'm saying is, enjoy it, give yourself time, be sure, that he's what you really want, be selfish for once in your life. If it was me, the way he looks, I wouldn't let the guy out of my sight!"  
"He's much more than that"  
"I'm sure he is, now, why did you call me, because I'm pretty sure it's not just to rub my nose in your love life"  
"Okay, part two of Dana Scully's Great Life Makeover - Birthday Party"  
"Dana! I rest my case, you really are in love"  
"Will you come? It'll be small, just us and some friends"  
"Sure, Wednesday?"  
"Yup, be there or be square, 8 p.m. You have a date?"  
"Are you kidding? Bring sand to that beach? Judging by your catch, that place must be a nexus for hotness and decent character"  
"I'll let you be the judge of that, see you there"  
"Bye Sis, say hi to your mighty good man for me"  
"I will"

Mulder passed the third jewelry store that day, hands in his pockets, playing with the keychain he just got for her.  
Apollo 11 launch was one of the best memories of his childhood. The day his father explained to him how many people had to work together to make it happen, one flaw and the whole mission could literally go up in smoke. None of that could ever be achieved by one person alone and that day young Fox wanted to be a part of bigger things. That was what he wanted her to know, that whatever she'll need or want, he'll be there.  
The night her father died and she came to him, the night she slept in his arms, Mulder felt like giving her the world, just to make it right. A piece of her world was falling apart and she came to him for help in keeping the pieces together, and he did it. He shouldered her pain for one night, because that was what she needed to bridge the gap from one stage of her life to another, and for a few hours that morning, he felt needed and accepted and whole, instead of lost, useless and stumbling in the dark.  
After the day of the first man landing on the moon, when Sam played with her dolls on the floor as they all watched the launch on the tv together, good memories of his father were basically nonexistent. After Samantha's disappearance Bill Mulder checked out from his family's life, divorced his wife and fell down the rabbit hole of his work for the DoD.  
Young Fox never stopped blaming himself, going through his teens convinced that it was his fault that his sister disappeared. He was the weak link, he failed to protect her, therefore he wasn't good enough to earn their love and in consequence keep the family together.  
His father cared more about work than anything else in the world, bringing pain and suffering to the ones who loved him most. Mulder swore to himself that he will never be that guy. He will never be like his father, blind to what he did to himself and others.  
In time he realized that his father was in great pain as well through all that time, but he couldn't find enough compassion in his heart for a man, who turned away from people who suffered as he did and who could help him just as much as he could help them. Pain that could be shared and thus split in half, and in time be overcome, replaced by a stronger bond between people who cared and gave each other strength. His father was selfish in his pain.  
With Scully, Mulder wanted that chance, to be there, to help and hope that maybe one day she will be his friend and stand by him in time of need as well, and that he won't wake up having made his father's mistakes again. That was what he got for her, a symbol of friendship, love and care, all wrapped up in one tacky keychain.  
He stopped in front of a window, watching a girl inside reaching for a gold and diamond ring that looked like at least three carats and thought that if he managed that, then maybe someday, he'll be the one standing on the other side of that glass.

 

Scully went with high heel boots, jeans and a low cut, long sleeved top. She looked at herself in the mirror and realized she looked different, her face glowed, hair behaved more than ever. _Mirror mirror on the wall, who's responsible for it all?_ She laughed at herself and shut her locker, draping the coat over her shoulders.  
She met with Missy downstairs, kissed the air by her ear and together they crossed the street, arms linked.

"Ladies! Good evening and welcome!" Mike greeted them as they hung their coats by the door and Scully sat down in the middle of the bar, facing Mulder who was waiting for her with a big smile and a glass of Tullamore Dew with 7up.  
"Hi" she stretched to meet his lips half way, brushing them gently by way of greeting, he smelled good tonight, new cologne maybe.  
"Happy birthday Doc" he said and turned to her sister "Hi Missy, good to see you again"  
"Same here" her smile told Mulder she knew basically everything. No secrets between sisters apparently  
"What can I get you?" He asked a bit surprised when Melissa too kissed the air by his ear. Either it was a kiss of death or he just got welcomed into the family.  
"G & T, easy on the ice" she smiled looking around and spotted a few faces she thought she saw the last time she was here.  
Scully was introducing her to the Gunmen when someone tapped her on the shoulder and she looked around, evidently surprised.  
"Hello birthday girl" a tall, dark haired man in late thirties, pulled her into a hug and all company stood by, stunned.  
"Jack Willis" Scully stiffened not knowing what to do with her hands "what are you doing here?"  
"I saw you leavening the hospital and the EMT told me there's a bar here, so I decided to come say hi, it's OUR birthday remember?"  
"Right" she was so confused by the ghost of her past that she almost forgot where she was but Mulder's voice broke her trance.  
"Scully?" His tone was hesitant and confused and that worked like a lightning rod, grounding her feelings and hurry to calm his fears, whatever they might be.  
"Mulder, this is Jack Willis, an old acquaintance, Jack, Fox Mulder"  
"Mulder, I know that name, have you worked for the FBI by any chance? At the Violent Crimes?"  
"Yes" Mulder shook Jack's hand, mistrust evident in his eyes  
"You know each other?" Scully asked, her eyes traveling between the two men who were silently measuring each other up.  
"By reputation only, he was Bill Paterson's golden boy, profiler extraordinaire with the Behavioral Science Unit"  
"That was a long time ago" the cold in his voice rivaled the temperatures outside the door.  
"And now you're a bartender? Wow, that's a story I'd like to here sometime" with that he dismissed Mulder from his mind and turned back to Scully, who was still trying to figure out what was going on and how to stop it before it ruined her night. "Dana, can we talk?"  
"I guess" she looked at Mulder silently asking for help, but he was looking the other way, listening to Mike who was asking him something in low voice, pulling him to the side, so she decided to get rid of Jack as soon as possible. 

Mulder stood at the end of the bar, pouring Melissa her drink and trying hard not to look at Scully talking to Jack, her back to the room this time.  
"I see what you're doing" Missy smiled her mysterious smile  
"What am I doing?" He tried to play innocent, but had a distinct feeling the BS radar ran in the family.  
"You have a green monster siting on your shoulder"  
"Are you suggesting I can't handle Scully talking to some guy?"  
"Not just some guy, her ex" she baited him, but watched as well, as her sister sat with her back straight, legs and arms crossed and most certainly a fake smile plastered to her face "they went out on a couple of dates, the problem was one of them happened on her birthday, which they share"  
Mulder glanced again at Scully's back, her shoulders tense, textbook defensive body language, drink balanced on her knee as if all her attention was necessary to keep it from spilling  
"It was my fault really" Missy continued "I was stupid enough to invite him to join us when we bumped into him at some dive celebrating, three years ago maybe, something like that" that caught his attention and he looked at her, she was smiling now, broadly "he seems to be looking for some fun again, Dana ended it with him the moment she realized she was nothing more than a casual fuck"  
He was starting to put the facts together and realized he was being an idiot, just as both of them saw Jack Willis trying to invade the space Mulder was staring to consider his.  
"Mulder" Missy said with a sudden anger and concern for her silly-too-good-for-this-world-baby sister "get the cake"  
"I think you're right" Mulder took the cake from the fridge hidden under the bar and nodded at Mike, lighting the candle on top of it.

Scully heard Jack babble something about a suspect killed in a bank robbery, an ambush gone bad, but all she thought about was the hurt in Mulder's voice, and the wrong idea he might get from this entire situation if she didn't get rid of this womanizer soon. Scully had a few skeletons in her own closet but she almost forgot about this asshole and saw no reason to waste precious time she might be spending with Mulder and friends.  
She was about to get up and leave when Jack leaned in and tried to take her hands in his, but the lights dimmed and a song sounded behind her, loud and clear. Mulder was singing!  
She turned and saw him walking in from the office carrying a medium sized chocolate cake and singing Happy Birthday! The rest of the room quickly joined in, but all Scully cared about was his broad smile lit by the candle on top of the cake in his hands. He stoped in front of her and placed the cake on the bar. Away from Jack, and towards the room behind them, a new world she was now a part of, his world. 

"Happy Birthday" Mulder said leaning in, determined and confident to make Scully forget the guy behind her back and the gratitude and joy in her smile as he brushed his lips against hers blew away the green monster. It was meant to be a small kiss he knew he'd follow up on later because they had company and he promised to behave, _no grand gestures,_ but then as he began pulling away he heard her whisper  
"I love you"  
She stunned his world into silence sucking all pretense from the bubble around them, his hands framed her face as her fingers twined in his shirt to keep him in place. All polite manners on Earth couldn't stop them from kissing for real this time, a deep and erotic kiss that boiled the blood in their veins and tramped all thought on sheer instinct. It muffled the sound of their friends cheering and howling, of Jack Willis walking away and the door closing behind him, and the time shifting and syncing and twining their fates forever.  
Mulder broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers, hot breath burning his lips, her pulse pounding against his palm as his thumb stroked small circles in the hollow behind her ear. He was too stunned to speak, but she already read the words in his kiss.  
"Can we have the cake now?" Missy brought them down to earth and back among polite society.  
Scully smiled at her and their friends and blew out the candle,  
"DRINKS ON THE HOUSE!" Mulder called and the room cheered for both of them this time.

Mike went about fixing drinks and Missy started to hand out cake on paper plates. Everybody got a piece, whether they knew Scully or were just random bystanders, the bar was open for anyone that night, as per Mulder's promise.  
"Thank you for this" she kissed him again, soft and sweet.  
"You're welcome. Oh, I got something for you" Mulder reached into his pants pocket and presented her with a small white box  
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." She knew he'd get her something, but it still felt like a surprise.  
"It's just something that reminded me of you" he explained all cute innocent smiles.  
Her mind conjured images of bizarre objects found at flea markets in the middle of nowhere "What, an alien implant?"  
"Two, actually." He joked, entire Jack episode ignored and forgotten by now "I made them into earrings"  
Scully opened the box and found a large lacquered metal keychain, gold and black, an eagle falling from the sky in the middle.  
"Hmmm... Apollo eleven" she turned the keychain in her hands, examining it closer and noticing the eagle was in fact landing on the face of the moon, the weight of the trinket cool and pleasant in her hands.  
"Read the back" Mulder smiled broadly, thinking about the second part of the gift he had stashed away.  
‘Commemorating Apollo Eleven and the mission to the moon, July 1969’.  
"You like it?" His smile was enormous.  
"I do" she grinned, it was very him and that was all she wanted or needed, she'd remember this day, and him whenever she'll hear it jingle. "Thank you" she kissed his cheek again thinking how could she not want this every year from now on?  
"Okay you love birds, break it up, make room for Jesus" Missy handed them each a slice of cake and sat down next to her sister "bartender! Another drink for our birthday girl"  
"Coming right up, same?" He asked Scully stashing the cake away for later.  
"Yup, and keep'em coming"  
The party would become a tradition at "The Believer" for many years to come. 

Close to midnight Missy couldn't hide her yawning anymore. By that time she managed to wrap Langly around her little finger and Byers and Frohike were fans.  
"You're dead on your feet" Scully teased, pressing her keys into Missy's hand "go home"  
"You're not going?" Her surprise was the best proof of her state of mind as she looked up at her sister and Mulder and realized how silly she was "No, of course you're not"  
Scully smiled at Mulder then at her "go home Missy, we'll call you a cab"  
"Call me an escort as well, I'm not sure I can walk" she giggled  
"Mike will take you" Mulder offered "right Mike?"  
Mike was keeping a close eye on the older, exuberant new-age-loving Scully sister. He was a good guy and Mulder decided he deserved a chance.  
"Sure, I'll take you" Missy however wasn't drunk enough to not see what was going on here.  
"Okay, but you're not staying over" she said pointing a finger at Mike but not without a smile to soften the blow she might be dealing somehow.  
"I'm not that guy" Mike smiled, and took his leather jacket from the hanger in the office, then rounded the bar taking her coat on his way past and helped her put it on.  
The Gunmen emerged from the land of conspiracies and said their goodbyes, each one kissing Scully on the cheek, again wishing her a happy birthday and a good night to Mulder as they went on their merry way. 

Mulder turned off the lights and draped Scully's coat over her shoulders, pulling her close and kissing her lips.  
"It wasn't that bad" he said with a smile wrapping his arms around her.  
"No, it was fun" she agreed lacing her fingers behind his back "thank you"  
"You're most welcome" Mulder dropped a kiss on top of her head and pulled her towards the exit.  
"Come on" his tone changed from sweet to seductive "I'm not done with you yet"

Some time later she laid cuddled into his side, gloriously tired and naked, playing with the keychain he got her.  
"I think I know what it means" Scully mused sleepily  
Mulder hummed a question, lulled by the workout, her warmth and the day they just had.  
"It's about us, together, as long as we have each other, we can do anything"  
He didn't speak, just shifted to his side and slid down, so their noses and foreheads touched as they breathed together.  
"Scully" he sounded sleepy and tired, but more importantly sober and lucid.  
"Yes?"  
"I love you"  
"Oh brother" she sighed with a big smile, almost as big as his as she kissed him goodnight in the dark. With his lips pressed to her forehead they fell asleep, arms wrapped around each other tight. 

The next morning Scully got up, showered and dressed, letting Mulder sleep in peace until she had to leave for her morning shift.  
She knelt by the bed to wake him with one last kiss "Mulder, I'm going"  
"'kay" he mumbled sleepily stroking her hair, then reached blindly to the nightstand and handed her something, "lock the door on your way out" 

A single key was dangling from her keychain in his hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cher - "Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)"


	10. Nothing Else Matters

The Sun was rising, soft light peeking through the blinds as Scully unlocked the door and let herself in. She stripped, found one of his t-shirts and slipped into bed next to him.  
"Hi Doc," Mulder mumbled wrapping himself around her, his heavy arm and warm body pressed against her back worked like a charm on her tiered mind. She leaned against him and fell asleep in mere seconds. Another night turned into another day. He woke her later, with bold kisses and roaming hands, the best way to start a day. 

It was way past midnight when he stepped out of his shoes by the door and hung his leather jacket in the closet next to her ivory trench coat. He undressed, quick and quiet, and dove head first under the covers at the foot of her bed, working his way up with wet kissed up her calf, running his stubbled cheek over the soft skin of her inner thigh. She shifted and her hand found the the top of his head, fingers combing through hair, a content sigh for a welcome. He pulled her panties down her shapely legs and buried his face in her heat, making her writhe and gasp and moan his name, coming undone under his lips and around his fingers, sheet bunched in one hand, the other pulling him closer, making the blood rush through his veins. He waited all day for this, wanting her.

"How much time do we have," Scully asked pulling at his belt buckle, her back pressed against the bathroom door at the bar, his lips devouring her neck and her gasps.  
"Ten minutes tops," he said as her hands found a way into his pants.  
"Who comes first buys dinner."  
"A challenge," he gasped as her hand closed around him and squeezed, "shit, whatever, if you're the desert, dinner's on me, indefinitely."  
They had Italian that evening, and then each other. 

Mulder waited twenty minutes before he decided to bring lunch to her. Warm soup and a sandwich bought him a kiss in the hospital hallway.  
"I won't let you kill yourself while saving lives," he said without malice, "please, eat, while it's still hot."  
He didn't hover, he trusted her to take care of herself.

They chose the topmost row at the theater, the hour was late and the room was almost empty anyway. They were making out like teenagers, her tongue in his mouth, his fingers inside her.  
"Shhhh, keep quiet."  
"Oh God, you're shameless," she pushed her hips into his hand harder.  
"Give me some room, you've seen nothing yet."  
Her legs felt weak as they left, credits rolling above them. When asked what movie they saw, they simply said, "a thriller." 

She sat straddling his hips, knees digging into the couch cushions, coffee long forgotten. Gentle fingers learned his features. Lips peppered his face with slow kisses as his palms roamed under her shirt over the smooth planes of her back, bare breasts and puckering nipples. He loved it when they had a free morning on a weekend, could simply wake up together, have breakfast and hang out with no place to be for hours at a time. 

"Drive you moron! Can't you see it's green?" Mulder fumed as the road opened to a wide lane, beach on one side, pines on the other.  
"Relax, we've got time," her small hand squeezed his thigh.  
"Pray it won't rain, why did you have to chose a convertible anyway?"  
"Pull over."  
"Where."  
"Right here."  
"Why? Wait, what are you doing, okay okay, I'm pulling over, behind those trees over there."  
"Good, now relax and let me show you what we can do with these wide seats."

 

5 pm was the usual time people started to show up. It was the time Mike finished classes and came in. It was the time, Mulder started to glance at the door every few minutes, hoping a cute redhead would soon appear.  
A mixed crowd frequented his establishment, some recurrent faces, some seen once, soon to be forgotten. The Believer served not only as a haven for local weirdos and meeting place for the like-minded. It also served as a buffer between the world of the sick and suffering and home and loved ones of the hospital staff and EMT's.  
Thanks to his last stay at the ICU combined with the word getting out, that the enigmatic doctor Scully was officially off the market, some doctors learned about the existence of his establishment and took up dropping by to shake off the daily cares over a glass of fine whiskey or wine. It turned out Scully was not only good for him, but also good for his business and pretty soon a pattern has established. Doctors stopped by early in the evening, freaks and weirdos crawled out from their caves late at night. Mike's shifts doubled and all were happy with the way things were going for everyone. 

It was one of the busier afternoons and Mulder was looking forward to having Mike to help out. Something was hanging in the air, ever since he woke up after Scully has already left. She was meeting her mother for lunch and should be here already.  
Restless and edgy Mulder glanced at the door for the fourth time in the last 15 minutes.  
He thought about mounting a small bell over there, when three things happened simultaneously, Mike came in, Lenny, a regular among the EMT's, close behind him calling Mulder's name as soon as he saw him, and the phone rang on the wall behind him.  
"The Believer," he picked up the receiver holding one hand up to stop Mike and Lenny from talking over each other.  
"Fox Mulder?"  
"Yes, can I help you?"  
"This is nurse Kelly Kowalski from the St. Marry's Hospital, I'm calling because you're listed as Dana Scully's emergency contact." Blood froze in Mulder's veins, his eyes went wide with panic and he looked at Mike and Lenny, grabbing the counter.  
"What happened," he spoke quietly, voice trembling, a million scenarios running through his head, each one darker than the last.  
"Doctor Scully was involved in a car accident. She's unconscious but stable, how soon can you get here?"  
"I'll be there in five minutes."  
Mulder returned the phone to it's cradle and suddenly his knees buckled, he had to lean against the shelf under the mirror to keep himself steady, making the glass bottles jingle.  
_Accident, critical, stable, car accident, ICU, critical,_ the words looped in his mind as seconds ticked by. Mike and Lenny tried to tell him something but he didn't understand a word from what they were saying.  
Shaking the fear off, Mulder steeled himself and switched gears, years of work under pressure built that resolve into his muscles and mind through brutal practice. "Mike, you're in charge, I have to get to the hospital," he turned to grab his jacket from the office. "Scully had an accident," he explained and practically ran, Lenny close on his heels.  
"That's what I was trying to say, we brought her in, another car ran into the passenger side of her ford four blocks from here, she was unconscious when we got there, unlike the the guy who did it. They took her to the ICU, there might be some internal bleeding." Mulder listened to the man running behind him, ignoring the nurse's station at the emergency clinic entry and heading straight for the elevators to the third floor, home of the ICU.  
Mulder slowed down seeing a familiar face already opening mouth to stop him, he was expected.  
"Mr Mulder, I'm doctor Miller, we met before."  
"Yes, you were here when I was shot last time. How's Scully, where is she, can I see her?" Mulder was frantic, held back only by the thought that the harder he fought, the less he would be helping.  
"Calm down, she's in the OR, she had a minor internal bleeding that needed to be taken care of." Miller led Mulder away from the nurse's station and outside the ward to a small waiting area, where they could talk without disturbing anyone, "however the bleeding was not our main concern, something must have gone wrong with the airbag in her car causing a severe concussion, she was slipping in and out of consciousness when brought in, we'll have to keep her sedated until we reduce the swelling."  
Miller's firm hand pulled him to a row of chairs and forced him to sit. "It'll be some time before she's out from the OR, so you need to be patient. I'll come back once I know anything else."  
Mulder nodded, unable to speak, fear and pain shallowing his breathing.  
"We notified her next of kin, but I know Dana, and I saw you two, when you were here," Miller's voice became less professional and more concerned than a doctor patient relationship required, "so I wanted to speak to you personally."  
"Thank you, will she be okay?" Mulder felt sick.  
"Hard to tell right now, until she wakes up, we won't know how much damage was done. We need to be patient."  
Mulder bumped patience to the top of his list of most hated words in the English language, but he tried to stay civil "How long till she's out of the OR?"  
"I'll let you know as soon as she's out." Miller rested one hand on Mulder's shoulder, "don't lose hope just yet, we take care of our own," and with that he left Mulder standing on the edge of despair. 

An hour later a woman with curly dark hair stepped out of the elevator and bumped into the nurse that was just walking past.  
"Dana Scully? I'm here to see Dana Scully," the nurse started to speak but Mulder was faster.  
"Mrs. Scully? I'm Fox Mulder, I'm a friend of Dana's."  
"How is she?" Scully's mother looked nothing like her, apart for the slim posture and the fiery eyes that were now red rimmed with tears and fear for her daughter.  
"She's in the OR, I spoke to the doctor," Mulder guided her gently to the chairs and explained what Miller had told him.  
"That was an hour ago, we should have more news soon." 

The procedure went fine, but the doctor kept Scully sedated, monitoring her blood pressure, trying to reduce the swelling inside her head. Apart from some serious looking bruise under her eye and a scrape on her forehead, she looked normal, very pale but still like her beautiful self. Her mother was sleeping on the bench in the lounge, Missy was with her. They refused to go to Dana's, when he offered to drive them there, insisting they needed to be here in case anything happened. Tragedy was still close to the surface in this family.  
Mulder sat by Scully's bed, watching her sleep in a drug induced coma, beeping machines and green sheets all around them. A machine was breathing for her because she was too week to do it herself. Mulder wished he could do that, give her his breath, his heart, his life, anything to bring her back.  
Around 4am Missy walked in quietly and rested one hand on his shoulder.  
"She's still with us," she said softly, "she's a fighter."  
A tear ran down his cheek and he let it fall, it didn't mater.  
"Go home Mulder, I'll watch over her." He shook his head in defiance but she insisted. "She wouldn't want you to do this to yourself, trust her."  
He sat for a long moment in silence considering Missy's words but eventually got up. Before he left, he leaned over Scully to kiss her forehead and whispered, "don't go anywhere without me."

Forcing his legs to walk the short distance to his apartment, he unlocked the door, dropped the jacket on the couch, stepped out of his shoes and opted for bedroom.  
He was too weak to change, to think, to tired to feel anything but fear, so he threw himself on the bed, face down in the sheets and breathed in her scent, familiar and sweet.  
Suddenly his throat closed, he couldn't breathe. What if? What if? He thought of those sheets still warm with her warmth just this morning, when he heard the doors close and the key turning in it's lock. They made love in this very spot and fell back asleep, that's why she left in a hurry.  
Mulder lifted his head trying to catch a breath and a flash of reflected light caught his eye. Her gold cross, she left it behind. He reached out and picked up the delicate chain and the pendant once again found the light in the darkness. He broke down, his breath caught on a violent sob and he buried his face back in her pillow.  
For the first time in his life Fox Mulder prayed. _"Please God, don't take her away and cast me back into darkness."_

He dreamt of her, of her toes sinking in the sand as small waves licked at her feet. Of her scent like the ocean and her skin smooth and cool like the water closing above him. He was surrounded by her, he breathed her, he lived her, she was the air, the light and the water. She was his world and that was all that mattered. 

A knock at the door woke him, sun already on the other side of the building, the apartment filled with late afternoon gloom. He forced himself to get up and see who it was, Melissa, and pushed back a new sob. There be news, there be monsters.  
"Mulder, I know you're there," she insisted and he gave up letting her in, "why is it so dark in here?"  
"Because the lights aren't on," he stated the obvious, from now on the only light in his life would be this, fake, mechanical, turned on with a switch, instead of a brilliant glow that came with her presence, warm and life giving.  
"Right," the light from the corridor was blinding, Missy saw his face and rushed to reassure him, "she's still here."  
Mulder relaxed a fraction, letting go of some of his fear. "Mom's with her right now, the doctor is cautious, says we still have to wait."  
"I see," he turned away but Missy followed, pulling him by the elbow to the couch and sitting beside him.  
"Mulder, you can't give up, she needs you, she needs your strength."  
"You don't know me Missy," he hung his head, hiding his face in his hands, "I'm weak, she's my strength, I'm nothing without her."  
"Listen. I don’t have to be psychic to see that you’re in a very dark place... much darker than where my sister is. Willingly walking deeper into darkness cannot help her at all. I expected more from you. Dana expects more." Missy wrapped her arms around him and said quietly, "go to her, even if it doesn’t bring her back, at least she’ll know you tried. And so will you." 

After an hour of convincing, Missy took Mrs Scully home, to Dana's apartment. It took time for him to gather his strength, to face whatever he might find upon seeing her, but she was still there, looking small and fragile and helpless. Mulder puled up a chair and sat down, trying to stay quiet and calm his breathing. He couldn't do it, he needed something, something to hold on to. He reached out and covered her hand with his, her fingertips were cool and limp, so unlike her usual grip that it made him want to weep. He held his breath, let it out, breathed in, out, and forced himself to think. She was here, she wasn't gone yet, Scully was a fighter, all he could do was trust her.  
Mulder sat in that chair for hours, the noise of the ward around died down as hours ticked by. Past midnight, past 1 am, the clock on the wall mocked him. Mulder ignored it after he realized it's disinterest in the tragedy it was witnessing.  
Around four he took her hand in both of his and spoke to her. Finally.  
"I feel, Scully... that you believe... you’re not ready to go. And you’ve always had the strength of your beliefs." He rested his forehead against her palm in his hands, kissing her knuckles gently "I don’t know if my being here... will help bring you back. But I’m here Doc." He took a shuddering breath squeezing her hand gently and whispered so quietly, that only her spirit could hear him, "don't leave me."

 

"Boss I need twenty minutes, maybe an hour, I'll be there as soon as I can."  
"Hurry," was all Mulder said, so distracted that he couldn't even find anger inside himself. All he knew was that he needed to stay busy, he couldn't sleep anyway. All his thoughts were by her bedside, across the street.  
A dark haired woman was sitting at the bar, playing with a box of matches. She arranged them in a straight line on the counter, waiting for someone to meet her, nursing the same glass of red wine Mulder served her an hour ago. A perfectly straight line, meticulously so. Mulder watched her, his eyes empty and tired, it was three days since Scully's accident, three days since he last slept.  
"You lost someone," the woman spoke without looking at him, her hair was long, lips very red, "not just a lover, a friend."  
That kicked Mulder somewhat out of his trance _'please God let this not be the case'_ and his hand went to the cross around his neck.  
"That won't ward me off," the woman smiled a cryptic smile as she finally looked up at him, her eyes black like magpie's, following the gold. Mulder thought he caught a lime green glint in her eye.  
"It belongs to someone who will come back," he replied closing his palm around the gold chain.  
"I hope you're right," she said, smiling a sad smile, never showing her teeth.  
A man in a stetson hat walked in, his coat too long for the season, the look straight from a cheap cowboy movie, right up to his buck teeth.  
"I found Ronnie," he told the woman at the bar without a word of a greeting.  
"Good, where was he," she asked gathering the matches and putting them back in the box. One by one, all heads lined up on one end, Mulder recognized the obsessive compulsive behavior.  
"At the movies, where else, he found a vampire movie marathon at the theater three blocks down from here."  
"We should have left him in Chaney," she sighed and paid for the wine, the glass left untouched on the bar.  
The cowboy looked at the wine, then at Mulder and again he saw that green gleam catching the light, like a cat's eyes.  
"Lucius, let's go," she called over her shoulder and the man tipped his hat and left the bar passing a panting, exhausted Mike in the doorway.  
The phone rang and Mulder picked up on first ring.  
"I'm here."  
His face stretched in a smile as he listened. 

Mulder pushed the door open.  
"Hello Fox." Her mother stood by the window, Missy sat in the corner  
"Not Fox, mom, Mulder."  
He smiled and it felt weird, like his face was trying to remember how to do it.  
She reached out one weak hand and he took it in both of his, sitting on the edge of the bed and leaning in, brushing her lips with his.  
"Mulder, I..."  
"Shhhhh, you're here, nothing else matters."  
He kissed her again and she parted her lips breathing a breath of life back into his lungs. He felt as if for the first time in days he really breathed in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Metallica "Nothing Else Matters"


	11. Just The Two Of Us

It took some convincing, but Scully agreed to stay a few days under Mulder's care. Missy had to go back to Craiger, but not before she persuaded their mother to leave the two alone.  
Maggie Scully had her reservations about the young man who seemed to be head over heels in love with her daughter. A bartender sounded dangerous, not to mention a few steps down from what she wished for Dana. Missy took upon herself to squash those thoughts as soon as she found out about them, and eventually Mrs Scully decided to trust her younger daughter, who never did anything that might give her reasons to doubt her life choices. She started to see Mulder in a kinder light, since Scully woke up and he basically lived by her side. Her greatest hope was that it wasn't just the freshness of their relationship. What was 6 months for two young people. 

"Come in Doc" Mulder closed the door behind them, setting her bag in the corner and reaching to take the coat of her hands. The morning was warm and a short walk already revived her.  
"I never believed what my father said when I was a kid" she sighed and went to sit on the couch, Mulder close at her heels, lending a hand as she sat on the low seat, moving gingerly, the stitches in her side were just removed. She pulled up a pillow behind her back as he took her ankles, slipped the sneakers off her feet and propped them on the coffee table. All this happened wordlessly, nurse Mulder had a calm and self assured bedside manner.  
"Bed does suck out the strength out of you."  
"Take it easy sailor, no scraping the decks for you" he sat next to her wrapping one arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple "it's good to have you back"  
"Mulder, it was a drug induced coma, I wasn't dying"  
"So you say" he moved down and kiss the spot behind her ear, she sighed a happy sigh and reached for his hand  
"It's good to be back" Scully giggled as he caught her earlobe between his lips and tugged gently "but this will have to wait at least a few days"  
Mulder chuckled and kissed her cheek "I know, tea?"  
"Yes, please" he pecked her lips one last time and went to put the kettle on. For at least a week he had her all to himself. 

 

The lights were out, Scully laid on her back, Mulder on his side next to her. Content to watch her profile in the moonlight, eyes closed, hair spilled over white pillow, a tank top and shorts doing nothing to stop her warmth from sipping into his bones. He never thought he could be so in love.  
"I can feel you thinking" she said quietly without opening her eyes "what are you thinking about?"  
"About the 5 billion people in the world" he replied pressing a soft kiss to her shoulder "and how I need just one"  
She smiled but squirmed at the same time, fixed the pillow under her head and moved one leg over the covers, perfect.  
"Comfortable? You need more room?"  
"I'm fine"  
"I can sleep on the couch" he offered but his hand that found it's way to rest on her stomach belied his words, he wouldn't move an inch even if it meant the end of the world.  
"Don't be ridiculous" she scoffed covering his hand with her palm and squirmed a bit more, finally finding the spot that fitted her back. Or maybe it was the contact she needed, not just knowing he was here, the feel of it.

"I don't think your mom liked me at first" Mulder said after a long moment.  
"Really? What did you expect?" There was a smile in her words, because she knew that if her mom really wouldn't like him, he wouldn't just think, he'd know.  
"I don't know"  
"She was scared, that's all" Scully stroked his skin with her fingertips "hospital ICU isn't ideal to meet the partner of your daughter"  
"Partner?" He laughed at the word and it's connection to his past. To have his 'partner' in bed like this, while working for the FBI? Might as well have a cow drop in through the roof into his apartment, same odds.  
"It's what Missy calls you" she laughed "we're too old for boyfriend-girlfriend and significant other sounds..."  
"Too conventional" he finished for her "You have a good sister"  
"Yeah" she chuckled "as long as u don't ask her to get a carton of milk, because you can be sure you'll be eating dry cereal and drink your coffee black"  
"I already take my coffee black" he smiled  
"Yeah, she likes you too" and after a moment added "It's my brothers I'm worried about"  
"That bad?"  
"Bill probably thinks he's the head of the family now, so yes, he might be a tad overprotective if we see him in the next, I don't know "she made a dramatic pause "thirty years or so"  
Mulder listened to her and thought how he never had a chance to be a real big brother, he'd probably feel the same about any guy dating his baby sister. If he hadn't lost her, like Bill might have lost Scully "I can understand that"  
"He'll probably hold you responsible in some way, even though you were never there when it happened" Scully was picking up pace, going through all the ways Bill could be an idiot in her head, when Mulder moved closer and his fingers twined with hers. Something changed in him and she realized what she just said, and how insensitive it must have sounded. In that moment She felt his pain like it was hers.  
"You have no idea what it was like" he said, hiding his face in her shoulder, letting the darkness swallowed a tear that fell from his eye.  
"Shhh, don't think about it" she kissed his forehead, back to here and now and the two of them "I'm here"  
He took a deep breath fighting the urge to take her in his arms "You are" 

The next morning Scully woke up with a huge erection pressed into her thigh. Oh yes, he did miss her bad.  
"Mulder" she kissed him softly. He was sleeping curled into her side, one leg twined with hers, as close as possible without squashing her "Mulder".  
He hummed and shifted his hips against her leg, and his eyes flew open, embarrassed.  
"Oh God, sorry"  
"For what" she smiled a seductive smile "it's only natural"  
Her hand found him under the covers and inside his PJ pants "I missed you too" she teased running her hand up and down his shaft, making his eyes roll back.  
"I don't want to rush, you're still" he didn't finish, just sucked in a breath as she squeezed her hand near the base.  
"I know, but let me help" she pressed a sloppy kiss on the corner of his mouth then licked his lower lip "take the edge off"  
His hips bucked against her side and he kissed her back, she did really want to do this. 

Unless Mulder had some errands to run, they spent the morning together, until lunch. Afternoons and evenings Mulder worked at the bar, and Scully read medical journals, old issues of The Lone Gunman and books. Some books were her own, brought in from her apartment, some were from his eclectic collection, from classics through crime and thriller to crappy paperback sci-fi. She was usually asleep when Mulder came back, woken only by his weight jostling the bed and arms wrapping around her. Sometimes they talked, but never about anything serious. A few times the Gunmen took the few floors up from the basement and kept her company, watching tv, testosterone fueled action movies and more crappy sci-fi. She took immense pleasure in tearing to shreds their theories about space aliens and their biology, interbreeding with humans, space travel and it's physical limitations and so on.  
Sometimes Mulder left Mike to take care of the bar and spent the evening with her. These nights looked much like the ones with the boys, but with infinitely wider selection of movies and loads of making out on the couch.  
After some time Scully felt well enough to drop by the bar for a half an hour, just to change the venue and to have some coffee from the fancy Italian coffee machine he had installed. It definitely wasn't used enough, but truth be told, if it wasn't for the meds, she'd sip her gin and tonic instead. 

Scully was folding dry laundry, Mulder, in the kitchen was fixing dinner. He took good care of her.  
"Scully, come here please" she heard the meat for the spaghetti Bolognese sizzle in the pan, and saw Mulder standing looking through the box of dried spices and herbs she made him buy sometime back.  
"Help me out here" he looked a bit lost smelling the contents of one of the bags "I want to do it right, but I don't know how."  
He showed her the bag, oregano, he was on the right track "show me how you do it?"  
"Why?"  
"Because I like yours and I want you to teach me" he smiled as her eyes widened, he could be honest to a fault sometimes "is it a secret? Like you'd tell me but then you'd have to kill me?"  
"No, it's just" she chuckled "I don't know, I usually wing it, I throw in whatever I have in there" she pointed at the box on the counter.  
"Okay, so let's wing it together" he pulled her closer and stirred the meat in the pan, throwing in the chopped tomatoes "I have the base, what next"  
"The water is boiling" she pointed at the pot in the back "where's the spaghetti"  
"Here" he reached into the cupboard over her head, took it out and half of the pack landed in the boiling water "that part I know"  
"Okay" she stepped around him and picked a few packs from the box "show me your hand"  
He did, indeed very nice hands "not like this" she turned his hand palm up and poured a small handful of dried flaked into her palm  
"This is a very scientific method of measuring out spices and herbs" she said in a mock-serious tone and poured the oregano from her hand into his palm "look close and remember" he did, suppressing a laugh  
"You take this much of anything that smells nice and like a tomato sauce" he couldn't hold it back anymore, he laughed.  
"Seriously?" He poured the herbs into the bubbling mix "this is your scientific method?"  
"Yup" she measured roughly the same amount of basil and poured it into his hand again "cooking is something I could never learn from a book" next went rosemary, thyme and some dried garlic because they had none fresh.  
"Who taught you this, your mom?"  
"Yeah, there were four kids in the house, and dad was usually away" she took the spoon from his hand, "me and Missy, we used to help out" she blew on it and tasted "try it"  
He took the end oh the spoon in his mouth and licked lis lips "Oh wow, this is great"  
"Easy as pie" she smiled and stirred the pasta.  
"You can bake a pie?" Mulder was one step from falling to his knees and asking her for her hand.  
"Sure, whatever you like"  
"Sweet potato?"  
"Why not"  
Mulder set the spoon on the counter and laced his fingers behind her back  
"Did I tell you how much I love you?" he pulled her close and kissed her cheek then traveled down the side of her neck and back up  
"Not tonight, no" she teased twining fingers through his hair, arms around his shoulders  
"I do, I love you" his lips found hers and he kissed her, deep.  
"I love you too" she glanced at the clock on the wall "now feed me, I'm starving"  
"Aye aye ma'am"  
They ate, they cleaned, they made out some more and went to bed. 

 

"WAIT" He stopped her as soon as she opened the door, her coat dripping with rain.  
"What?" Scully looked startled by his urgent tone then noticed what he was doing.  
"I just mopped that part, don't move" she did as told, shedding her coat and hanging it on the rack near by.  
Mulder set the mop aside and in three long strides was at her side  
"C'mere" he reached for her, sliding one arm behind her back, the other under her knees and picked her off the ground, her arms wrapping around his shoulders as she squealed and giggled letting him carry her to the bar and sit her on top of it with a smug smile.  
"You didn't have to do that" she admonished adding fuel to the fire, or rather a kiss to his smile.  
"But I wanted to, for a long time" his arms rested on each side of her hips and he rocked forward for another kiss, deeper one this time. This days, as long they were alone, nothing was off limits.  
"To have you against this bar" his voice changed, dropping an octave as he punctuated the words with open mouthed kisses "watching you in the mirror" her one hand pulling at the hair on the nape of his neck kept him close "as I fucked you from behind"  
Scully invaded his lips and kissed him so deep that it made him hard, it was almost three weeks since he had her, and although it was fun to let her take care of him in that area, pun very much intended, he still wanted more, he wanted her and he was starting to lose his mind.  
"I just got back from my appointment" she scooted closer wrapping her legs and arms around him "Freddy says I'm okay to go back to work, so" she paused suggestively  
"Now?" Mulder pushed his hands under her cotton blouse, palms spread over her back, she knew he meant sex, not work, definitely not that.  
"No" she warned him before he took things too far but softened the blow with a promising "tonight"  
"I'll hold you to that" he curbed his appetite and settled for a slow caress of her soft skin and her mouth.  
"If we take it easy, we could go for twice" there was a distinct note of hope in her tone, she missed him too, very much.  
"Where have you been all my life" Mulder pulled her close to his chest and she held on for her dear life. 

A few long hot moments later Mulder went back to mopping the floor. Scully stayed on top of the bar, sipping root beer straight from the bottle and watching the muscles on his back play as he worked, swipe, rinse, repeat. She fiddled with the remote for the stereo and soulful R&B filled the bar with saxophone and synths. Bill Withers sang of castles in the sky.  
"We need to do something about your car" he said between swipes.  
"Yeah, and fast, getting to work will be a real pain otherwise"  
"Unless" he hung the word in the air between them.  
"Unless what?" Mulder turned around, leaning on the handle. He stepped on a few strings and started to rub at some imaginary stain on the floorboards he just wiped.  
"Unless you'd like to stick around a while longer"  
Silence stretched as she realized what he meant. They were living together for the past two weeks.  
"Mulder"  
"I don't mean move in" he tried to sound convincing but failed miserably, two out of three cells of his body wanted her to do just that, he couldn't fight such a vast majority "just, until you find a car you really like"  
She reached out one hand and he took it, letting her pull him close and take his face in her hands to look him in the eye, now leveled with hers.  
"I know you mean well" he looked away, already regretting bringing it up, pushing her too hard to fast "and I'll be happy to stay with you"  
At her words his eyes sprang back to hers, shining happy and full of wonder and he couldn't stop himself, his lips covered hers again.  
"Mulder" she tried to speak around his kisses still kissing him back, "Mulder" just some quick soft pecks to diffuse his joy "just until I get a new car."  
"Okay" he kept kissing her, erasing rejection with each kiss pressed to her face "we'll pick something together"  
"I can leave some things at your place" he nodded, the kisses slowed down "but I'll be sleeping at my place too"  
"Okay" he'd take a conditional yes over a straight no every day of the week. 

"Mulder" he turned in the direction her voice came from and watched as she ran her fingers over the hood of a black Honda convertible, a slow and gentle caress paired with a wicked smile. He double backed and put one hand on the small of her back, pulling her into his side.  
"The last one was bigger" he whispered into her ear when a sales guy approached them, his teeth shining like the cars he was selling.  
"This one's a beauty" he said gesturing at the car.  
"Yes she is" Mulder replied, pulling Scully closer, lips at her temple, her eyes cast down. She still blushed thinking about last night and how good it did them and how she missed it.  
The guy heard him and chuckled uncomfortably but gathered himself quickly "My name's Jerry, are you looking for something specific?" 

She got in, put her hands on the wheel and looked around.  
"I don't know" Mulder noted peeking inside "looks small"  
"I assure you the safety systems are top of the line, ABS, SRS with front and side airbags for the driver and front passenger, traction control..." the guy babbled.  
"I'd like a little more space between you and whatever is out there"  
"I know, but it'll be easier to park it in front of my building, and it's not that small"  
"Have you seen the back seat?"  
"Mulder" she warned him with a smile, knowing full well what he was implying "1.8 liter engine, I like that, in a car this size it gives enough horsepower to move around town"  
"Scully, how do you know so much about cars?" Mulder was and wasn't surprised at the same time, of course she'd know more than him about this stuff.  
"Charlie loved them, he used to talk my ear off when I drove him back from school and he went through whatever new car magazine he got"  
"You like driving fast?"  
"I like power" she gave him a look that made lesser men spontaneously combust "and I know what I want"  
"I like the color" he smiled crouching down and resting his arms on the edge of the window "matches your eyes"  
Scully barked out a laugh, "That's supposed to be my line"  
"Nope, it's mine" he smiled sweetly at her and took a step back so she could get out.  
"Well?" Jerry-Pearly-Whites looked hopeful  
"I'll take it" she announced lacing her fingers through Mulder's hand. 

"Mr Bruckman!" Mulder greeted a tired looking elderly man, a briefcase under his arm, hat in one hand.  
"Mr Mulder" they shook hands and Mulder turned to Scully  
"Scully, this is Clyde Bruckman, the insurance agent I told you about"  
"Nice to meet you Mr Bruckman"  
"The pleasure is all mine" the man sat at the bar next to her and opened his briefcase "as I understand you're in need of a car insurance, Miss Scully, let's see what I can do for you" 

An hour later Scully had negotiated a full package deal for half the price she was paying for her previous car. Mr Bruckman was preparing the documents to be signed  
"How do you know each other?" she asked Mulder who had a moment to join them.  
"Clyde here has a spooky story up his sleeve"  
"Mr. Mulder, why talk about death in the presence of a woman so beautiful, vibrant and full of life as Miss Scully here" Scully blushed at the flowery compliment.  
"Miss Scully is a medical doctor, she's familiar with all maters of sick, dead and dying." He said to Bruckman then turned to her "Do you want to know how you're going to die?"  
"No I don't" Scully stayed skeptical, he expected that.  
"No, you don't." Bruckman agreed "Of course, not knowing has its own drawbacks which is why a good insurance policy is so important."  
"Mister Bruckman, you possess an ability that not only has staggering implications upon physics and human consciousness, but it's one which most people, myself included, would be envious of. Yet you seem to treat it with disdain." Mulder was ready for battle.  
"How can I see the future if it didn't already exist" he looked up and stared Mulder in the eye "and if the future is written, then why bother to do anything?"  
"I believe in your ability but not your attitude" he challenged "I wouldn't stand by and watch people die without doing everything in my, albeit unsupernatural, power to interfere with that fate. " Scully smiled, there was that compassion she loved about him so much.  
"Well, you see, I might adversely affect the fate of the future. I mean, what if I might change the fate of a mother of the daughter whose son invents the time machine. Then the son goes back in time and changes world history and then Columbus never discovers America, man never lands on the moon, the U.S. never invades Grenada..." Bruckman rambled on "Or something less significant... resulting in the fact that my father never meets my mother and consequently, I'm never born" Scully listened fascinated by his philosophical approach, but not as much as by the practical side of this alleged gift  
"How are you receiving this information" Scully asked "I mean, are you seeing it in a vision or is it a... sensation? How do you know ?"  
"I just know" his tone evasive.  
"But how do you know?" Mulder couldn't let it go.  
"I don't know!" Bruckman started to sound annoyed "Look, I've got my own work to do. I'm not a crime fighter by trade"  
Bruckman went back to his papers one last time and Mulder looked at Scully with a mixture of amusement and guilt. He didn't mean to press the guy, but the way Scully joined him made him think they would make a good team. They really might be good partners.  
"You're not the least bit curious?" he asked her softly, pulling her gently to his side of the argument.  
"Okay, I'll bite, how do I die"  
"You're aged 91, your husband is 94" Bruckman said and she smiled shyly looking away from Mulder, there was a three year age difference between them "you die sleeping in your bed, together, on the same night, after kissing each other goodnight one last time. Your 35 year old granddaughter finds you the next morning, tears fall from her eyes, and so she buries you both, side by side, under a cherry tree on your property that you planted the first day you moved in. Every year a rain of white petals falls over your grave sometime around the anniversary"  
"That's probably the most beautiful sad story I have ever heard" Mulder took her hand in his and poured all his tenderness in the kiss he placed on the back of it.  
"I wish I could believe it" Scully replied resting her head on his shoulder, simply glad she's still alive and able to do that.  
"Believe what you like" Bruckman had to admit that as far as his visions went, this one wasn't half bad "but until then, please sign on the dotted line"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bill Withers "Just The Two Of Us"


	12. Home

"Scully?" Mulder let himself in and looked around. The lights were on but no one answered. He had a long and boring drive behind him and was looking forward to seeing his favorite face in the world for the most of it. As he looked into the bedroom and found it empty, bed made, clothes on the floor, he turned and smiled. Now he could hear the water sloshing in the bathtub. He pushed the door open slowly and leaned on the doorframe.  
Fragrant foam was hiding most the details under the surface of the water, one shapely leg resting on the edge of the extra large tub, her hair pinned up in a messy bun, eyes closed. He hoped she wasn't sleeping only messing with him, sleeping in bathtubs by the candle light was a major no-no. Lifting his hands to his face he framed the picture between his fingers, Scully soaking in a bubble bath bathed in soft candle light, a Kodak moment.  
"Dear Penthouse, I never thought it would happen to me" he spoke up and she opened one eye to look at him.  
"What took you so long?" She turned to face him, chin on her forearms resting on the edge of the tub, "I thought I would have to wrap this party without you"  
"Haven't heard of fashionably late?" He teased walking in and reaching behind his back to the collar of his white t-shirt.  
"Wait" she stoped him and he looked up surprised "do it slow" she suggested with her most seductive smile  
"I could use some music" Mulder chuckled, but slowly puled the tee off his back and over his head, letting it drop to the floor  
"Is it ladies choice?" he asked, his voice deep and laced with promise. Next went the belt from around his hips, arms flexing, toned muscle and healthy glowing skin.  
"This lady wants those very sexy jeans gone" Scully said sinking in deeper, watching him lean over and pull off his socks.  
"The lady's wish is my command" he straightened and unbuttoned his jeans, pulled the zipper down, slow, real slow, watching her face, her smile widening as he let the pants drop and reveal nothing underneath. Nothing but his favorite body part starting to get impatient and eager to greet it's mistress.  
"Come here" she reached one hand and made room for him in the tub. The water sloshed over the edge as he got in and she pressed her warm, wet, soap slick body to his, arms around neck, lips covering his, hungry kisses abounding.  
It was good to be home. 

 

Mulder kept himself in shape somehow managing to squeeze in a game of basketball or a swim into his week, usually when Scully worked in the morning or on the weekends. Running was the second thing he did almost every day, Scully being the first.  
Scully also liked to run, but it was something she was used to doing alone, a way to clear her head and shake off the things she needed to work through in her own time and pace. So they compromised, they left the apartment together, walked the four blocks to the park in her neighborhood (six if they were at his place), and there separated, running in opposite directions. Sometimes when their paths crossed, he tapped her shoulder in passing "TAG" and she'd chase him to get even, or if he spotted her in the distance, he simply chased her for a few yards, making her laugh when he caught her and stole a kiss before running off in opposite direction, as per their agreement. There was no time limit or distance, just return to where they started and wait for the other to come back.  
They walked back, usually buying bagels for breakfast on the way, real cream cheese for her, smoked salmon and lettuce for him, went home and showered together, while the coffee brewed in the kitchen. 

 

"There are some things you need to know" sunflower seed cracked between his teeth, the paper cup half full of shells already.  
"Like what" Scully watched him lick his lips, already a little swollen from the salt.  
"There's a reason we're staying at the inn" the empty shell joined others in the cup.  
"Okay" another crack. She started to recognize this as a sign of extreme nervousness or boredom. He was driving so he definitely wasn't bored.  
"First, it's by the beach and the view is much better" they were driving through the calm roads of Martha's Vineyard to his childhood home, mostly to spend a few days on the beach, but also to meet with his mother, who called all of a sudden a few days ago and one thing led to the next and they were invited to visit. Not stay, Mulder was very specific about that.  
"Nice"  
"Second, there's the matter of my mother" he seemed very anxious, bordering on scared, but she wasn't yet sure why. Her first instinct was that he didn't want his mother to meet her, but when she confronted him, he assured her, that it was the other way around. Mulder loved his mother, he just didn't like her very much this days.  
Past months with Scully, her sweet calm accepting disposition combined with constant challenge of fascinating character made him set aside old pain. The thought of his parents inadvertently brought it back to the surface.  
"I still have no idea what are you so worried about"  
"Keep in mind at all times, that this trip is about us" he instructed, playing the teacher on a school trip "We're going to have a good time. Soak up the sun, swim and make love all night long"  
"All morning too" that was what she was looking forward to, lazy holiday away from chores, work and familiar scenery.  
"All day too if you want" Mulder was looking forward to that part too, he remembered their last trip to the beach, "but we have to go visit my mother. It's best to do it now, sooner rather than later and with a very plausible excuse of being tired or having a dinner reservation"  
"We're not taking your mom to dinner?" That was a little mean if anyone would ask her, but it was his mom, she let him do this his way.  
"No, and believe me, once you meet her, you'll thank me, and drink with me till we both can't see straight."  
"Sounds serious" to be honest, she never saw him really drunk, and he never got her completely drunk either, was this his way of taking care of her? Being with him was intoxicating enough, especially when he licked his lips like that.  
"Third. Whatever my mother might say, do, make you think or imagine, remember" his voice turned softer, this wasn't a joke "always remember that I love you and she has absolutely no power to change that"  
Mulder looked at her from the corner of his eye and found her smile reassuring "What might she possibly say that might change things between us"  
"I don't know, I'm just covering my the bases here." He was smiling again, reaching for another sunflower seed. Crack, lick, spit.  
"Okay." His lip glistened moist and plump and she had to stop herself from kissing him then and there.  
"Fourth" _oh brother_  
"This is a long list" she rolled her eyes, another three and she'll be sure he wants her to go in there biased.  
"Yeah I know, my mom doesn't like me very much this days."  
"What?" He did tell her once that his relationship with his parents was strained, but she hasn't thought this was an ongoing thing, she thought of it as more of a long standing estrangement.  
"In her opinion to have her Oxford-educated son tending bar is almost as bad as having her Oxford-educated son work for the FBI"  
"Your mom must be very proud of your education" or very shallow. How a woman like that could raise a man like him? Kind and compassionate and honest.  
"Yeah, and nothing else. She thinks I wasted my chance when I refused to start a practice and as you yourself put it, live of petty drama of the rich and powerful. That would be something she could brag about to her friends at cocktail parties"  
"Okay, I'm starting to understand" she looked at him closely and decided that like he said, she was here for the two of them, not for his mother.  
"Do you?"  
"Yes, you are you, your mom is your mom." She hoped he wouldn't lose his good humor entirely because of this visit, she wasn't planing on letting him sulk because of it.  
"No, my mom's views are not mine" 

 

"Mulder! Mulder! Put me down!" He carried her in his arms deff to her protest, away from the shore, slowing down as water splashed around them maybe thigh high.  
Scully readied herself to be thrown into the water, the closing of the depths over her head imminent, and her arms closed around his neck. Water touched her feet and backside and in one last attempt to stop him she said " Enough of this manhandling!"  
Mulder's arms loosened and...  
Nothing happened, she felt the cool water gently take her in, his arms still warm around her. He was kneeling, both of them neck deep, her hair still dry, his smile small and apologetic as he gave her a chance to let go "Sorry, that was childish"  
She trusted him enough to know that he wouldn't do this knowing her feet might not reach the bottom, but held on, looking into his eyes, full of love and contrition. "At the risk of ruining my cool exterior I have to confess that you're the first woman I took to the beach like this"  
"Like what?"  
"Like a guy taking his girl to the beach on a summer holiday"  
"You're never did this before?" she smiled shifting to wrap her legs around his waist making it clear that she wasn't going anywhere and that she wanted his arms around her.  
"I've never been very popular among the girls" he chuckled and stepped a few paces deeper, so that he wouldn't have to bend his knees and turned them around, her face away from the sun "I've been on the basketball team and the swim team, but as one of those guys who did it for sport, not girls and glory"  
"That's what I thought" she kissed him gently, just because she could and because from all the boys that tried to throw her into the ocean over the years, so far she liked him the most.  
"Girls never seemed to notice me"  
"I think you're wrong" she smiled brushing the tip of her nose against his "they did, you just didn't know about it"  
"This is a small town, anything unusual is always frowned upon, I was a black sheep"  
"Maybe so, for some, but there's that thing most teen boys don't know about" her smile widened "that mystery is a powerful magnet"  
He looked at her puzzled "It goes something like this" she raised her voice an octave 'Have you seen that Mulder guy today?'  
'Forget about him, he doesn't talk to anyone'  
'He talks to Jenny from my advanced english class'  
'Okay, maybe her but she's even spookier than he is, no one else'  
'Why'  
'I heard there was some tragedy in his family, that's why he's always so sad'  
'He didn't look sad when he slam-dunked that ball in the last second of the game yesterday, I'm sure I could cheer him up like that'  
'Let it go, he doesn't date'  
'A girl can dream, have you seen him at the swim team practice'  
'Oh dream on sister, dream on'  
"That sounded spooky" he laughed  
"There's always that one guy, in every school, that most girls think about, but he never notices them, it's a forbidden fruit kind of thing"  
"If I knew about this sooner, my high school life would be a lot more interesting"  
"No, you can't know about it, that's the basis of your appeal, if you knew and tried to use it, you'd be just another player, and that's the fast lane to most girl's shit list. You mess with a friend of a friend of a friend and you're burned"  
"Why they don't teach guys that in gym class?"  
"That's one of those things you learn in school bathroom not the classroom."  
"Dana Scully, you could be a teen psychologist"  
"Let go" She kissed him again and he did as she pushed herself off. Scully swam a few yards away and dived for a second or two, emerging another few yards farther. It looked like she reached the shallows, because she stood up and waved at him. Mulder dived and followed her in a relaxed crawl. 

 

"That was probably the longest two hours of the last decade" Mulder groaned hiding his face in his hands. They were sitting in the car, ready to drive back to the inn.  
"Dinner wasn't that bad" Scully rubbed his shoulder to make him feel batter.  
"I'm glad that at least you liked it" he looked up at her "so I don't have to apologize for anything my dear mother said?"  
"No, you don't"  
"That's a relief, but I could use a drink anyway, you?" She nodded "let's find some bar, I feel like a mystery client tonight" 

They found a place that looked promising, one wall open to the beach letting in the evening breeze and the sound of waves gently licking the shore. It looked like a perfect summer holiday kind of place.  
Scully sipped at her drink and grimaced "What is this"  
Mulder tried his scotch on rocks, ignoring the cheap taste, and relaxed looking around with a bit of professional curiosity. "Looks like a martini"  
"I like yours better" she put down her glass visibly disappointed  
"Let me see" reaching for her glass, he took a tiny sip then licked his lips and grimaced just as she did "too much vermouth"  
"That's why I like you" she said deciding that a kiss was necessary to wipe out the terrible sirupy aftertaste "sometimes you know what I like without asking"  
"And you really know how to tend to a man's ego" he smiled kissing her back, even the music wasn't his style in this place "let's get out of here"  
"What do you have in mind?" The challenge in her voice sounded irresistible.  
"We hit the store, buy some liquor and I'll make you another martini, just the way you like it" she nodded liking the plan already "we'll pull some cushions from the couch on the floor and crash on the balcony and watch the stars, how does that sound?"  
"Drinks and stargazing?" She got up and threw her arms around his neck "sounds like a very Mulder kind of date" and dropped one more, quite intimate, kiss on his mouth "lead the way"  
He signaled the guy behind the counter to pay for their drinks and as he did he noticed something.  
"You're bleeding" he told the bartender.  
Scully turned, instantly alarmed noticing the red spot on the sleeve of the man's white shirt. "May I see?" She reached and tried to gently put her hand on the man's arm.  
"Get your hands off me" He barked, violently pushing her hand away but Mulder caught his wrist, afraid he might hurt her next.  
"She's a medical doctor" the warning in his statement was ice cold. The man stared daggers at him, as if he wanted to bite his hand off too, and ripped his hand from Mulder's grip. He let him go.  
"ED" the owner spotted the exchange and rushed to intervene  
"I'm so sorry" the woman turned to her guests "this shouldn't have happened" then spoke to her employee "clean yourself up"  
"That's okay, come on Doc" he turned to her and steered her away with a gentle hand on the small of her back "they won't see us here again."  
"Never" she said with finality.

 

"You know any stories about stars?" They killed the lights in their room and the silence around them was disturbed only by the sound of waves washing off the shore and an occasional seagull looking for a peaceful place o sleep that night. Other guests must have been less picky about their drinks and took their fun to The Tourist Trap, as Mulder nicknamed the bar.  
"Only what they taught us in english class, greek and roman mythology pop-quiz stuff" her head rested on his shoulder, blanket covering their feet, the temperatures were starting to drop at night, August heat winding down slowly.  
"So you grew up here?"  
"Yeah, but wish I'd rather grow up there" he pointed to the sky, one star was twinkling brighter than the others  
"What it's like?"  
"The trees are made of" he hung his voice looking for the right word "glowing cotton candy" she chuckled.  
"Do you live there still?" She asked out of the blue.  
"Maybe, are you there?" He replied, sensing a change of topic.  
"Let's say that I am"  
"Then I'm definitely still living there"  
"And what your life looks like?"  
"What do you mean?" He was puzzled, unable to decipher what she was trying to ask.  
"Do you have a house?"  
"I guess, have to live somewhere"  
"What does it look like?"  
"I don't know, what would you like it to look like?" He traced one finger up her forearm, finally starting to understand.  
"I asked you first"  
"Okay, not too small, but not a huge mansion either"  
"Porch?"  
"All around the house, and a yard" he chuckled "let's go crazy, a large property, a medium sized house on a large property"  
"Surrounded by forest"  
"And a stretch of sandy lakeshore along one border"  
"And a swing"  
"Definitely a swing" he kissed her shoulder he was starting to see it "what else?"  
"Two cars"  
"And a hovercraft" he laughed "and a vintage bike"  
"Imported from Earth"  
"As a gift, for your birthday"  
"I loved it so much, still do" she smiled pretending that what they said was true.  
"I'll teach our kids" he paused suddenly, almost catching himself, but not fast enough.  
"Mulder?"  
"Our kids" his tone became hesitant "you want kids Scully?"  
"Right now?"  
"Whenever, right now, in five years, ever?" Her silence was becoming something he feared most in the world "I mean, I don't want to push, force you to do anything, it's just, I just want you to know"  
"What?" Her fingers laced through his, reassuring.  
"If you'd wake up tomorrow, nauseous and three weeks late, I wouldn't run" more silence "or if you'd wake up in five years and say no to kids, I'd respect that too. Not everything is about me, it's your life" he believed that he could do that, not easy but he could if he had to "I want normal things, a house in a small quiet town where everybody knows each other, kids play softball in the fields, caring for nothing but parents calling for dinner" he wanted to give a little someone a childhood he lost too soon.  
"But if you want to stay in the city, I'd stay with you, because most of all I want you, I want my dreams and your dreams, and everything in between that we can agree on" he dropped a kiss to her shoulder "whatever you'll give me, I'll take and return tenfold"  
He wrapped his arm around her and whispered into her temple "I love you"  
Silence stretched, pulling at the halves of his heart ready to burst, break, fall apart, "say something" he pleaded finally, almost desperate.  
A laugh, a sharp breath and a sob was what he got. "Scully?" She turned in his arms, and hid her face in his neck, he could feel her tears and her smile and her small body on his chest, now wrapped tightly in his arms.  
"Whatever life brings" she whispered "as long as I have you, I'll take it"  
She pressed a soft kiss to his lips and he did as he just told her, kissed her back tenfolds.  
"Just tell me one thing" she said as they broke the kiss  
"Anything"  
"What do you want from me?"  
"You" he replied simply, it felt self-explanatory to him.  
"No, what do you expect, and don't say nothing, I won't believe that"  
"I..." he hesitated for a moment, then felt her lips brush against his skin "Don't push me away" he whispered in her ear "don't do that ...thing, don't go behind my back smoking cigarettes kind of thing"  
Her story of rebellion against her father stayed with him, the image of her feeling caged hurt and he did't want to lock her up in any way since then, no smothering of any kind.  
"I... I don't think I would be able to handle the thought that I weighed you down and you couldn't live your life with me in it, because it's my" _life too and to lose you would be the end of me_ he thought but didn't say it out loud "just be honest with me, before it's ever too late"  
He felt her lips on his neck, his cheek, his eyelids, and he took her silent thank you, and the only thing that could be heard that night between them were the sounds of their lips and bodies meeting each other, over and over again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Foo Fighters - ["Home"](https://open.spotify.com/track/2fDVMNQmFuMORDD3dP7GkN)


	13. Sabotage

After months of sleeping together it didn't come as a huge surprise to her. He had his bouts of insomnia, nightmares that sometimes woke him up with a start and an unintelligible cry on his lips, dreams of white light and roaring sound, terrors known and imagined. Sometimes a passing ambulance would wake him rendering his mind unable to wind down. These nights have become fewer and far between in time and she usually managed to calm him down. Sometimes all it took was a little cuddle, he wrapped himself around her or she held him in her arms. Sometimes they talked for a while to take his mind of the dream. Sometimes they made love, a last resort remedy that knocked both of them out and good. By the end of the second month they slept together regularly, he could sleep through the night, a solid 7 hours every night for a week in a row was an achievement if she'd believe his words. This days his restlessness was almost a memory. Scully was glad that this improvement seemed to hold, he slept fine even if she wasn't in bed with him, night shifts couldn't be avoided really. He was happy and felt more secure in general.  
This night was different. He tossed around, hands twisting the sheet, heels digging in the mattress.  
"I won't" he sounded anxious, scared "accept that" his brow furrowed, face twisting in a grimace of pain as a tear rolled down from the corner of his eye. "Scullleeeeyyyy!" He called her name, almost shouted.  
"Mulder, wake up" she cupped his cheek to wake him "Mulder"  
His eyes flew open and he gasped looking around, disoriented and terrified "It's okay, you're home, in your bed" she spoke to him softly and brushed away the tear "I'm here"  
"Oh God" he reached suddenly and pulled her face to his lips, pressing a kiss between her eyebrows then buried his face in her breast, arm around her back. She could feel him trembling and pulled him closer, cradling his head, whispering sweet nothings.  
"Will you tell me about it?" She asked after a moment.  
"I saw you in the distance, standing with your back to me, wearing a hospital gown, framed in white light" his breath hitched and arms tightened around her "it wasn't like the lights in my dreams about Samantha, this was a hospital light"  
"I am a doctor, Mulder" she tried to diffuse his apparently terrifying vision with rationality.  
"No, you were a patient, you told me you have cancer" she felt lips pressed to the top of her breast, his cheek scraping her skin "then the scene morphed and I saw you in a hospital hallway, wearing a robe over pj's and your eyes were sunken and you were walking away from my, and I couldn't reach you, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't run fast enough to stop you"  
His each breath came with a shudder and she pulled him closer, tucking the sheet around his shoulders for warmth.  
"Mulder I'm here, I'm not going anywhere, I'm not sick" she ran her fingers over his hair, the nape of his neck, he kissed her skin, wherever he could reach.  
"That was the worst one I had in years" his legs shifted, one thigh slipping between hers and she made room draping her leg around his waist, his hand on her back pushed under the hem of her tee, searching for more skin to touch, more pure and immediate warmth.  
"Shhh, try not to think about it" she kept stroking his head and shoulders, a rhythmic and soothing motion trying to lull him back to sleep.  
They both woke up tired and had breakfast on the couch that morning, Scully still tucked under his arm. 

 

Mulder heard the door open and a clack of heels on the wooden floor.  
"What's up Doc?" He crouched on the floor, hidden behind the bar, tightening the coupling on the drain in the cupboard under the sink, the damned thing was leaking again.  
"Hello Fox" a familiar yet completely unexpected voice startled him and he hit the back of his head against the sink. He spat out a curse and got up slowly, rubbing at the sore spot.  
"Hello Diana" a tall, slender, dark haired woman perched herself in Scully's usual spot "What brings you here?"  
"Reassignment" she smiled warmly and he smiled back, hesitant "and a proposition"  
She placed a red rimmed folder on the counter, FBI seal and a case number starting with the letter X on it.  
Mulder didn't speak for a long moment, wiping his hands on the apron with extra care and she looked at him trying to catch his eye.  
"I like this place" she said finally, breaking the silence that stretched between them "when did this happen?"  
"Some time after you left" he finally gathered his wits and forced himself to look up, her eyes once so familiar, hair longer than he remembered, tailored costume under the coat. No ring.  
"And how's it going for you?" Small talk, he had no use for that as his eyes traveled between her, the door and the file.  
"I can't complain" he turned and started the coffee machine "the usual?"  
"Yes, but no sugar" her smile set off all the alarms in his head. Mulder had a bad feeling about this. "Wanna hear about the case?"  
"Do I have a choice?"  
"Of course you do, always" she smiled a knowing smile, a smile that said she knew his answer before she even walked through the door. He hated that she knew him that well and that she probably was right. And most of all he hated the fact that any moment now his life might spectacularly fall apart.  
"What do you need me for?" He set the americano in front of her, no cream, no sugar, and looked at the folder.  
"A boy went missing, 10 years old, a chess prodigy and" she took a sip of her coffee and spoke to the rim of the cup "a mind reader" 

Half an hour later Mulder closed the file. "Is he the real deal?"  
"As far as we could test him, yes, he can not only zero in on a specific mind but also a multitude of thoughts in a crowd."  
"Impressive" he pushed the file back in her direction "but I'm not interested"  
"Why?" Diana was visibly surprised, she came here convinced that he wouldn't be able to resist a chance at finding tangible evidence of psychic ability.  
"You work for the FBI, you guys have the best people when it comes to finding missing kids" he said, not without a hint of sarcasm, nobody at the FBI cared about his missing sister "I'm just a bartender"  
"Mulder, you are a trained profiler, a psychologist with background in the paranormal phenomena and you have experience in working with children" she recited the facts like she was reading his resume "You were FBI, remember?"  
"Yeah, and it almost got me killed" he snapped back at her, stabbing a finger at the file on the bar in front of her "more than once"  
"This could be your ticket back in, Fox" she lowered her voice "if we do this, we'd have a chance to get the X-files back"  
Diana covered his hand with hers and they looked each other in the eye, measuring the other's resolve.  
And in that moment the door opened. Mulder turned and froze, the warmth of Diana's hand suddenly burned him like fire, like a red hot iron pressed against his skin. Scully was standing in the doorway, coat draped over her shoulders against the early October chill. A short lunch break was all she could manage and she still had her hospital scrubs on under the coat.  
"Scully" he pulled his hand from under Diana's and went to greet her.  
They weren't shy about it, though usually kept it chaste and quick as something of a social compromise. Mulder leaned down, as always, but when their lips touched hers felt cold and the kiss mechanical. It sank his heart with a hollow sound like a stone thrown in a pond.  
"Doc, this is Special Agent Diana Fowley, with the FBI" he tried to put some cheer into his voice, act normal as if nothing happened between them just now, he tried to will this into being nothing "Diana, Dana Scully, M.D." _My Doc, My Darling, My Dana_ he wanted to say.  
"Nice to meet you" the two women shook hands, and Diana turned to Mulder, getting up to leave "I better get going, my offer stands Fox, think about it" and with that she gathered her coat and left. Her red lipstick staining the white pristine porcelain of the cup. 

Scully sat at the bar, not where she usually did, two places down.  
"What offer" she asked, still unsure of what was this all about.  
"They are reopening the X-files, she wants me back" he said with his head down, arms wide, palms gripping the bar "We used to work together, briefly, before I left" when unsure of consequences, Mulder usually went with honesty, whatever it might bring, he might as well get it all out.  
"She was there when I discovered the X-Files. She has a background in para-science" Mulder swallowed a lump in his throat "shortly after she got assigned to a post in Berlin and left" the coldness of their kiss still made him shiver, it felt like pulling teeth but he had to tell her "we used to date."  
Her eyes met his, full of questions she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know the answers to.  
"And what is this?" She pointed to the file instead.  
"A boy went missing" he said quietly "she wants my help in finding him"  
She knew then she couldn't tell him not to do this, she knew she couldn't make him abandon a child in need. This woman asked him to right a wrong that no one ever did for him, and she offered her help in doing it, she gave him power to save a life and in consequence the power over his own life. What else did he need. Scully will never be able to do that, she was just a doctor.  
"You should think about it" she said quietly still avoiding his eyes. Her time was almost up anyway, she had to get back to work.  
"Scully wait" he said urgently seeing her starting to get up "don't go away angry"  
"I'm not angry, just trying to be supportive" she said quietly and with her head down, went back to the hospital. Her world falling apart with each step behind. 

Missing kid, Diana, X-files. Mulder stared at the ceiling of his office. He read through the file she left him and didn't understand half of the medical jargon it was filled with, the other half was like a science fiction novel coming true. The boy scored maximum points on any test they could come up with. He seemed like the real deal, no wonder someone wanted him for themselves or, more likely, dead.  
And Diana, he did fine without her. Yes, the breakup hurt at first, it hurt a lot, mostly when he was alone in that basement of the Hoover Building reading through X-files, with no one to talk to for weeks, bounce ideas off, cut off from the world with a thousand paper cuts. That was when he realized he couldn't do this alone, he needed to get out, take what he found there and find people who could and wanted to do something about it, because sure as hell the FBI didn't want to. That was when he quit, when he chose life instead of the murky basement, dust and smell of the toner from the copy machines.  
Diana's leaving changed his life more than her presence ever did really, and this days he was grateful for that. He barely spared a thought for her, he truly did moved on.  
He was immensely grateful he slipped on a step leading to his dingy little bar, and found the fire, the light and the love of his life.  
A pencil dropped from the ceiling and landed on his forehead as Mike slammed the door shut. The wind was changing, inside and out.  
Mulder got up, gathered the papers and took his jacket from the hanger "Mike, you're in charge for the night."  
"I want a raise!"  
"You'll get one!" Mike stood silently as the door slammed again, behind his boss this time, who went about straightening his life, one problem at a time.

 

"Speak of the devil" Frohike said closing the eight locks behind Mulder. "We were just talking about you"  
"Yeah? About what?"  
"Your bachelor's party man" Langly looked up from his computer "We're scouting locations"  
"Just in case" Byers added, and Mulder hoped their enthusiasm wasn't premature.  
"You might need to hold your horses on that one" he went to the table and opened the folder "I need a favor"  
"Why?" Langly asked concerned "I mean the party, not the favor"  
"Diana's back in town" he said avoiding their eyes.  
"And you plan to visit her town?" Frohike asked incredulous and a little disgusted  
"God NO" Mulder matched his disgust and that almost calmed them. "We have a kid to find"  
"Okay" Frohike pulled up a chair and looked at the file "what have you got?" 

"Damn, this really might be a reason to consider reopening the X-files" Langly closed the folder and started to tap rapidly at the keyboard of his computer. Byers took the file and scanned through it again  
"This is full of medical data, MRI's, CT scans, why not go to Scully with this?"  
Mulder hung his head "She's working tonight"  
The looks on their faces said he had to do better than that "Diana, she met her and..."  
"What did you do to her?" Frohike asked, clearly concerned for the good doctor, not the agent.  
"I had to tell her" Mulder's voice was small and tired  
"Tell her what exactly?" Langly turned from the screen and looked at Mulder, ready to kick his ass. This was bad.  
"That we dated, Diana and I, and that she, they, might want me back and working for the FBI"  
"And what did Scully say" Byers was the calm one, but even he clenched his fists in frustration at his friends ability to sabotage his own happiness.  
"She told me to think about it" the collective groan and eye rolling contest ensued.  
"You should call Oxford man, get your money back" Langly went back to his screen "You let her go didn't you"  
"She takes this things too personal" Mulder was starting to get angry, he knew what to do, he just waited for her to finish her shift to do it. Making a scene at work would irrevocably put him on top of Scully's shit list.  
"How else would she take it you idiot?" Frohike was looking at the monitor over Langly's shoulder "your ex waltzed in and told you she needs your help and that a little boy's life needs saving, and oh... what d'ya know, look who's here asking for favors with a missing kid case"  
"All she could do was to get out of your way, she's a doctor not a super hero" Byers was the voice of reason.  
"And neither are you" Langly interjected "just stating this, for the record"  
Mulder was feeling like shit, he shouldn't have let her go, should have said something that would reassure her.  
"Look, go home, this will take some time before we'll be able to come up with anything useful" Byers walked over to him and put one hand on Mulder's shoulder.  
"Don't do anything stupid, either" Langly knew Mulder meant impulsive in crude latin.  
"Do you plan on taking Diana up on her offer of going back to the bureau?"  
"No"  
"Then go and tell Scully that"  
"We still need our star writer as well" Frohike added with a reassuring smile.  
"And our favorite bar" Langly and his priorities made Mulder huff out a laugh.  
"Thanks" and with that he left for his last stop for the night. 

 

Scully came back home, her shift ended an hour ago and she decided not to go to Mulder's to wait for him, nor see him at the bar. She needed time to process what was going on, and ready herself for the change that was about to happen in her life.  
She didn't turn on the lights, just went straight for the bedroom. Her bed, her safe place, was what she wanted tonight. She started to take her sweater off when Mulder's voice startled her.  
"Keep going Doc"  
"Geez Mulder, why are you sitting in my bedroom in the dark"  
"It was too crowded in my apartment" he leaned in on the sarcasm meaning the oposite and got up to turn on the lamp. Her sweater went back in it's place.  
"No, don't stop, please" his tone soft, honest, he didn't want to see her strip, he wanted to go to bed, as usual, as if this day didn't happen.  
Mulder stepped closer and took her face in his hands.  
"Look at me" she did, blue eyes shining as he kissed her forehead.  
"Mulder" his name carried a warning, she was unable to pretend, they both knew it.  
"Please, give me a second" he rested his forehead against hers and whispered "I'm making a conscious decision here"  
He looked at her, his hands cupping her cheeks for a moment than sliding down to her shoulders. He didn't hold her, just touched, to make sure she was still there, and spoke quietly.  
"Doc, last time I got anywhere near an investigation or an ex, I ended up in the hospital, half dead, twice. Why would I want to go back to that?" He asked her, and when she didn't move or speak he chanced half a step closer. "I have a good life here, now, it got really worth living this past few months"  
Scully took the last step and closed the gap, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close, finally. He went willingly and rested his head on her shoulder, their bodies molding around each other.  
"So is mine" she whispered hugging him back "but Mulder, a boy is missing. What if it was our boy who was missing"  
"I'd help find him" Mulder said into her neck, his lips brushing a path from behind her ear to her cheek "but not as an FBI agent, I'm not going back to that" his lips reached hers and he brushed them tentatively, afraid of the burning cold he felt a few hours earlier. He asked his silent question and she gave him an answer, the same he got that morning, and last night, and months ago in his own basement, a world of their own.  
Her lips were soft, yielding and inviting as once again she reached for the hem of her sweater and Mulder was more than happy to help her.

 

He was running through a field of corn, the stalks taller then him, a green maze, the noise close behind him, swallowing his call  
"SCULLEYYY" he looked around frantic, the search light was sliding over his head, he ran "SCUULEEEYYYY"  
"MULDEEEER" her voice almost impossible to hear over the terror and noise of the black unmarked choppers.  
"SCULLLEYYYY" "MUULDEEEEER" Marco, Polo.  
He woke up in his bed with a start.  
"Fox?" Diana's face hovered over his in the yellowish light...

"NO" he woke up in her bed, gasping for air, for real this time.  
Scully slept peacefully beside him, lips parted, breath deep and even, one arm draped over her head. Mulder brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead and leaned over, his voice was a mere whisper as he pressed a soft kiss on her lips, making her stir.  
"Marry me"  
"Can it wait t'mornin" she sighed through a haze of sleep as her arms went around him and she pulled herself close, cuddling into his chest and immediately falling back asleep.  
He knew that wasn't an answer, she probably didn't even hear him, but he smiled anyway. He held her in his arms and slept through the rest of the night, a deep and peaceful sleep.

 

The next few days Mulder was in and out, running between the bar and the Hoover Building and the Lone Gunmen HQ, trying to find anything that might help establish the boy's whereabouts. His parents were yet to come from the Philippines, in the meantime Mulder visited the guy who shot at the boy during the chess match, he talked to the doctors, he talked to his guardian who brought him to the states and organized the match. No one knew anything. The boy went missing from his hotel room when the guy went to get some ice. This case was as frustrating as it was time-sensitive. Mulder knew he was running out of time. If it wasn't for Scully, he'd probably lose his mind. She was there with her rational thoughts, keeping him in line, sharp and on point at all times.

"Any news?" Mike asked as he came in a few minutes past 5pm.  
"Nothing, zip, nada" Mulder sounded resigned, looking through the file for the millionth time "I'm running out of ideas"  
"Well, you better go move your car, before someone tows it off into the sunset"  
"Damn" he knew he forgot something.  
Mulder rushed outside, and as he approached he saw something or rather someone in the back seat. He opened the door and found a boy who's face he knew only from photographs.  
"Gibson?" The bandage around his head was spotted with blood, the boy stirred at the sound of his name "Gibson, can you hear me?"  
The boy tried to speak but was too weak to do it  
"Okay, I'm going to pick you up now, and we'll get you some help, okay?" He leaned in took the boy in his arms, he was small for a ten year old, he didn't fight. Kicking the door shut and crossing the street, he went straight to the ER. 

A few hours later Mulder sat in a chair by the sleeping boy's bed, machines beeped, the IV dripped. They butchered him without mercy, someone must have really want to know what made him so special.  
Scully came in and pulled him from his reverie.  
"Hi" she said quietly walking closer and standing behind him, one hand reaching, offering comfort. He took it and kissed her fingers gently.  
"Frankenstein? Really?" The boy spoke up from the bed, and Scully went to him to examine the stitches on his head.  
"Gibson, this is doctor Scully, she's a friend of mine, you can trust her"  
"No, not Frankenstein" Scully said sitting on the edge of the bed "You've been worked on by some good doctors. They did a fine job with your stitches"  
"You think they were butchers"  
"They were butchers" Mulder figured there was no point in sugarcoating anything for this kid.  
"They should have changed your bandages, Gibson. You've got some swelling and some infection and you've got a fever. Why did they do this to you?  
"Cause I can read people's minds?"  
"How did you get in my car?" Mulder asked, that was what bothered him the most, how did the people who took the boy knew about his involvement in the case, and why bring the boy to him, it was too big of a coincidence.  
"I don't know"  
Mulder watched as Scully changed the boy's bandages and talked to him in calm, soothig voice. She asked him about the cartoons he was watching, his home, siblings, parents, just simple, generic stuff and yet he relaxed, started to smile a little. He was still a kid after all and she knew how to keep his mind of what she was doing. She was good with kids. Her words ran through his mind again _What if it was our boy_  
_Yeah, what if._

Scully was making some notes on Gibson's chart when Diana appeared in the doorway and walked in with a mumbled word of greeting.  
"The boy's parents will be here soon" she said to Mulder, ignoring Scully.  
"You hear that Gibson?" Scully smiled at him closing the chart  
"Can I go home?" He sounded hopeful but not really convinced they'll let him go that easy.  
"Sorry sweetie, not yet" she didn't tell him when either, no point in lying to a mind reader, she squeezed his hand instead "I could stop by later, would you like that?"  
"Yeah" the boy smiled, he was beginning to like the nice doctor lady and her friend. Gibson heard Mulder's thoughts, and kind of wished that his parents were like them, too.  
"Don't worry, we can always spring you out of here if you're bored, just say the word" Mulder told him with a wink and followed Scully outside, leaving the boy with Diana and her thoughts.  
She was watching them talk in low voices, smiling and leaning towards each other. Real smiles, rooted deep and well practiced.  
"You can forget it" Gibson spoke up, his attention back at the TV "no matter what you do, you'll never get him back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beastie Boys - ["Sabotage"](https://open.spotify.com/track/5FdEl2UUaCaN2cC70TbLbx)


	14. Mystery Of The Heart

The 13th of October greeted them with a mild, sunny morning. They weren't lucky enough to have the day all to themselves, but she promised him as much of her morning and evening as she could, laughing that it's a very important day for a hobbit, the 33rd birthday.  
If he could, Mulder would spend the whole day with her under the covers, window cracked open letting in the early autumn air, discussing silicone based life forms and how ammonia could provide a decent substitute for oxygen in their breathing cycle. After last night's Star Trek marathon on the tv, a ton of popcorn and a six-pack of beer between the two of them, the discussion bled through into their morning.  
"Mulder, it is such a gorgeous day outside" after two hours of chemistry pop quiz, she was trying to change the subject "Have you ever entertained the idea of trying to find life on this planet?"  
"I have seen the life on this planet, Scully and that is exactly why I am looking elsewhere." He moved closer under the covers sensing her annoyance and let go of their argument for the moment "but I have entertained a thought of creating life, if you're interested."  
"Necessity is the mother of invention" she smiled shifting to give him some room "you always seemed to like taking matters into your own" she giggled as his fingers brushed the inside of her thigh "hands".  
"The road of excess" he spoke softly, tracing kisses down the side of her neck "leads to the palace of wisdom" and moved down to her breast, licking and sucking on her nipple.  
Scully combed her fingers through his hair as he did the same over the apex of her thighs, gentle but determined touch making her back arch and present her wanting breasts to his willing mouth. He lavished them both, hands roaming over her skin. She was squirming as his lips and lightly scratchy chin moved south, stoping for a moment to make love to her belly, her hips and sides. His hands pushed under her ass and she opened herself to him.  
"Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we may die" he chuckled and his lips found her center, tongue circling the clit, drawing a gasp and a moan and his name in that breathy tone he only heard in such times. He worked her with fingers and mouth, until she shuddered and cried out to heavens and came for him, twice. 

 

They parted around noon on the sidewalk at the corner of his street, agreeing to meet at the bar that night.  
Sometime after lunch an unexpected guest arrived at The Believer, another ghost of Mulder's past. A man in his late 60's sat at the bar, his coat elegant, silver cufflinks shining bright.  
"Fox" he greeted him.  
"Dad" Mulder acknowledged the man and set the glass on the bar, pouring him some of the good stuff he kept around, the last thing he had the heart for that day was a lecture about the quality of his stock.  
"Happy birthday son" Bill Mulder raised the glass in a salute, Mulder nodded. "You probably wonder what brings me here"  
"You never were the caring type" he agreed flatly.  
"I spoken to your mother, and heard that there was a talk of a woman in your life"  
"I don't see why that is any of your business" _thanks mom_  
"Don't push it young man" his father's tone matched his and could freeze the ice and the scotch in his glass "I didn't come here to fight"  
"Than why did you come here?"  
"You still waste your time with this UFO crap?" He asked looking around with a critical eye "You should forget about it and find a decent job"  
Mulder simply looked away, he was used to this line of argument "Your mother seems to be under the impression that you are serious about this girl"  
"Scully, Dana Scully, she's a doctor at the hospital across the street"  
"Right, Dana, do you think Dana wants a family?" His eyes were dark pools sucking in all the light from his day "are you sure you'll be able to provide for her by running this place?"  
"Yes" Mulder's reply was curt and confident, who gave this man the right to judge him or his business "we had this argument before, nothing you say will change the facts, this is my place, and my life and what I do with it has nothing to do with you"  
"Calm down" his tone became reconciliatory, he raised his hands palms up "like I said, I didn't come here to fight" he took a sip of his drink "believe it or not, I wish you well, now that you decided to settle down."  
"What brought on this sudden change of heart?" He spend so many years fighting his parents over everything that he took his words with a grain of salt.  
"One of the happiest days on my life was when I was in the military, the day I received a letter from your mother telling me, you said your first word, 'JFK' " he chuckled mirthlessly into his glass "I wasn't even there, and it still ranks in the top five"  
Mulder stood there listening, stunned.  
"I hope you'll be more fortunate than I was, that you'll be there, for your kid and your wife, family is all we got in the end. Never forget that"  
"That's rich coming from a man who checked out when he was most needed by the two of us."  
"I hope you'll never have to go through something as horrible as what happened to me and your mom. I wish you all the best"  
His fathers's tone made him take a step back, never in his life had he heard Bill Mulder so honest and contrite.  
"Dad?" As he got up Mulder stoped him "Is everything all right?"  
"Yes, son" he reached out a hand over the bar, "again Happy Birthday"  
Mulder shook it and watched his father leave the bar.  
He didn't know it then, but that was the last time he saw him alive. 

 

"What you fail to understand in your joyless myopia is that baseball is the key to life- the Rosetta Stone, if you will." An elderly man was sitting at the bar sipping scotch and rambling about the game on the screen above the door "If you just understood baseball better all your other questions your, your... the, uh... the aliens, the conspiracies they would all, in their way be answered by the baseball gods."  
Mulder smiled at the man, Arthur Dales was a regular and what Mulder wanted his crazy uncle be like, if he ever had one.  
"Yes, sir, that may be true. I'm thinking that your experience in Roswell could be germane to a conspiracy between men in our government and these shape-shifting alien beings." It was a long standing discussion between them. How many of the best players in the 50's were were aliens.  
"Oh, don't bore me, son. My brother Arthur started the X-Files with the Federal Bureau of Obfuscation before you were born. You say ‘shape-shifting’. Agent Mulder," he said the title with a hint of sarcasm "do you believe that love can make a man shape-shift?"  
"I guess... women change men all the time." He knew he changed over the last year, and it was definitely because of a woman.  
"I'm not talking about women. I'm talking about love. Passion. Like the passion you have for proving extra-terrestrial life. Do you believe that that passion can change your very nature? Can make you shape-shift from a man into something other than a man?" Mulder decide the man needed to slow down with the drinks.  
"Mister Dales, if you and your brother have really known about this bounty hunter and plans for colonization for the last fifty years why the hell wouldn't you have told anybody?"  
"That's the mystery, isn't it!" Arthur Dales chuckled and hiccuped  
"The very heart of it!" Mulder baited the man, he was always game for a good story.  
"Oh, the heart of the mystery, the heart of the mystery" the man laughed some more, watching Mulder through amber colored glass "Mister Mulder- maybe you'd better start paying a little less attention to the heart of the mystery and a little more attention to the mystery of the heart."  
"You're making me feel like a child." Mulder gave up, his mind was no match for the sharp wit of the man on the other side of the bar, even with three drinks in and a game unfolding in the background.  
"Be a man! To be a man is to have the heart of a man. Integrity, decency, sympathy: these are the things that make a man a man." He took a sip of his drink and smiled a smug smile taking this round "That and family! Where's that girl of yours?"  
"She'll be here" Mulder smiled a small smile that transformed his face, Arthur Dales knew that look. He knew it and understood it and wondered what was wrong with the kids this days.  
"Boy" he looked at the younger man and sighed "you are so ripe you are rotten." 

 

Later that night three men stormed through the door and shouted "CLOSING TIME" the unexpected ruckus made Mulder jump. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"  
A lot of hugging and patting on the back ensued. Each of the Gunmen wore a baseball cap and a jersey to match.  
"Come on! We've got a present for ya!" Frohike was rubbing his hands together  
"Where's Scully?" Byers asked looking around, they hit the magical moment when there was no one there but Mulder and Mike.  
"She's not here yet, what is this all about?" He looked terrified for a moment "You're not taking me to a strip club!" All four of them bent over with laughter.  
"Far better!" Langly pushed a shirt and a baseball bat into Mulder's unsuspecting hands. "Mike, get the beer!"  
"Mulder, call your girl, tell her to meet us at the ball park" Frohike instructed and Mike started pushing the less and less confused birthday boy from behind the counter, who took out his cellphone and dialed a number.

 

She was done with work for the day, managing to cut it short thanks to an agreement with a friend. Just one last stop at the nurses desk and she'd be gone, but then she spotted a familiar face there. One she hasn't seen in years and hoped she'd never see again.  
This man who seduced her, a young and green doctor, eager to learn and please the man she admired. He led her on, and young Dana, feeling ready to take over the world reached for the things she wanted, free and confident almost invincible. He didn't ask, she didn't offer, and yet they shared each other's cares and bodies, and she knew she had so much more give. She thought the feeling was mutual, but finally the world opened her eyes.  
He had a wife and a daughter her age. Scully ended the relationship when she realized she was being used. They never spoke after that. This days the man was just a memory and a list of mistakes she promised herself to never make again, and Dana Scully kept her promises.  
"Daniel, what brings you here" she asked and as he lowered his hand hanging up the phone, she spotted the gold shine of a wedding band. She knew he would never get that divorce like he promised.  
"Maggie is having a baby" he said hiding hands in the pockets of his coat "I'm going to be a grandfather"  
She looked at him, noticing how the few years since they broke up aged him and yet he still carried himself with the air of a smug playboy who thought he could bring any woman to her knees. _What did I see in that guy_ Scully thought, but before she could say anything else a nurse handed her a folded note.  
"Doctor Scully, a message was left for you" Sally smiled a knowing smile and Scully had a pretty good idea who the message was from.  
Mulder was a hit among the nurses and they didn't try to hide it when his little tokens of affection sometimes found her at work. A note slipped into the pocket of her coat, lunch left at the nurses station when she left it behind on the kitchen table, a little flower added to the brown paper bag that made her smile when she looked inside. Good natured envy of her luck in finding a guy like him was no secret and frankly made Scully smile. Everybody knew and waited, assuming the announcement was only a matter of time.  
Scully read the note and folded it with a wide smile.  
"Sorry, I have to go" she said to Daniel "I forgot something at the doctor's lounge" she turned to leave but caught herself and said over her shoulder "Congratulations!"  
The man watched her walk away buzzing with energy unlike he's ever seen before. 

 

She found them in the park, lights over the baseball diamond shining bright. Langly pitching, Mulder on home plate with the bat resting on his shoulder, Byers in the out field as the fastest of the three Gunmen, Mike on first base, Frohike crouching behind Mulder, catching.  
"So, uh... I get this message marked ‘urgent’ from one Fox Mantle telling me to come down to the park"  
"Get over here, Doc" Mulder spotted her and grinned like a birthday boy about to open the biggest present, which essentially he was.  
She left her heels behind as per his instructions and exchanged them for sneakers she usually wore at work. She'll need new ones after tonight, but who cares, it was his birthday. Mulder wore a gray baseball jersey and jeans and something about him made her glad she never broke any marriages apart.  
She went to him and he pulled her into his arms, her back to his front. He showed her the bat.  
"It's not a bad piece of ash, huh?" She giggled and wiggled her ass a little making him laugh "The bat-talking about the bat" he chuckled and took her hand putting it around the handle end of it.  
"Now, don't strangle it. You just want to shake hands with it. ‘Hello, Mister Bat. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance’. ‘Oh, no, no, Ms. Scully. The pleasure's all mine’" she giggled as his warm breath tickled her neck and she felt him shift and move around her "You've never hit a baseball, have you, Doc?"  
"Yes I have!" She bristled but laughed as he ignored her.  
"We're going to go hips before hands" his hand rested on her hip as he showed her how to move, shifting with her, their hips moving together like glued.  
"Okay" she smiled at the innocent intimacy of the touch.  
"Are we playing or what?" Byers called from the out field.  
"YEAH YOU LOVEBIRDS THIS ISN'T DATE NIGHT" Langly shouted from the pitcher's mound, laughing at the scene.  
"Right" Mulder gripped the bat and swung it in a tight little arch to try it out "We're going to wait on the pitch. We're going to keep our eye on the ball. Then, we're just going to make contact. We're not going to think. We're just going to let it fly, okay?"  
"Mm-hmm" she was enjoying the feel of his body behind her, eagerness radiating of him and filling her with giddy excitement. She hasn't played baseball since she was a scrape-knee'd kid.  
"All right, fire away, Poorboy" Mulder caled out to Langly and he sent the ball flying in a high arch. Mulder turned them, a bit awkwardly, his arms stretched, her bent close to her body, she loosed up and let him guide them but they missed.  
"Strike one" Frohike caught the ball behind them.  
"Ooh! Okay, we'll get this." Mulder's spirit was waterproof tonight "All right, what you may find is as you concentrate on hitting that little ball... The rest of the world just fades away" Langly pitched another one high towards them and they missed it, again.  
"Strike two"  
"Sorry, that was my fault" Mulder laughed and they struggled a little who's hands should go where as they adjusted their grip on the bat.  
"I'm in the middle" she giggled and again they waited for the ball to fly through the air.  
Langly sent the third pitch flying towards them and she loosened her arms, pressed her back against his front, her ass doing exciting things to his blood as he twisted them. She almost lost her balance but he held her and the bat fast.  
The ball started to fall towards them and... CRACK! The sound of the bat hitting the ball made a shiver run up her spine as they sent it flying far into the night sky! Mike started to run for his life and Scully turned in Mulder's arms as he still watched the sky. She pulled his lips to hers and kissed him, high on adrenaline and fun. His lips parted but she broke the kiss fast.  
"What are you waiting for? RUN!"  
And Mulder ran, a home run that ended with her back in his arms, spinning in circles, both of them laughing like mad.

The game had to be cut short due to rain but they won. The Believers 13, The Lone Gunmen 10.


	15. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW

They walked hand in hand through the park, the bright red and yellow leaves falling like rain from a perfect blue sky. Cerulean blue, almost like her eyes. Their black coats unbuttoned probably for the last time that autumn, she wore his scarf.  
They browsed through isles of books of every kind, she stoped by biographies, he dived in the paranormal section, picking an album with photographs of ghost activity and haunted houses of America.  
They sat at the coffee shop ordered muffins and coffee and watched people passing by, rushing about their day through the heart of the country. 

She felt like she was wasting their time. The pictures made little to no impression on her and the wine was bad which rubbed Mulder the wrong way. By the fifth stop in front of a photograph of a black and white landscape, Mulder started to look at the dots and discolorations in the sky claiming alien activity and making her laugh.  
She dragged him to a gallery opening and after that one night they both decided it wasn't them. The dinner they had after was far better, as was the wine. 

They sat on tall bar stools at a tiny table, away from the crowd. The jazz quartet was a coincidence, neither of them was really into it, but the music was gentle and wistful like a memory of France. The table was big enough to fit two drinks and two hands. They stoped by the bar on their way back, The Gunmen were trying to kill the dart board and it looked like the board was winning. The Believers prevailed, thanks to Scully's steady hand and Mulder's pencil practice. 

The news caught him while he was driving to her place. Thankfully the traffic was minimal for that time of night. He picked up his cell phone and a police woman told him they found his father's body on the floor of in his house in West Tisbury, heart failure. He barely got to Scully's, almost falling down as she opened the door. She took care of him, arms always ready, never leaving him alone with his loss. 

They went to the funeral together, holdings hands the whole time. After all those years Mulder thought it would be a bigger affair than just his mother, the two of them and two other men, one of which couldn't stop smoking, seemingly lighting the next one from the last. They didn't linger, the cold he felt lurking somewhere inside finally hit him with a vengeance that afternoon and she took him home. Doctors orders, no questions asked.

"How was it?" Mulder came home after the meeting with his father's lawyer, The Last Will and Testament of Bill Mulder, it sounded like a title of a bad play.  
"He left me his house" Mulder was still stunned at his father's generosity. A house on Martha's Vineyard, wow.  
"What are you going to do with it?"  
"I don't know" he answered hesitant, sitting on the couch, this was big "come here"  
He pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her neck. This was becoming the axiom of his universe, Scully's arms always wrapped around him, no matter what.  
"There's no need to rush" she stroked his head, always so tender with him it made him wanna cry.  
"What would you do?" He was getting warm just from her touch, or maybe it was the coat she was trying to get off his back.  
"Mulder, work with me here"  
"Sorry" he pulled his arms from the sleeves and got up picking her up with him. She giggled and held on as he threw the coat on the chair and sat down, she pulled the scarf from around his neck "so tell me, what would you do" he asked again.  
"I don't know, it's your house"  
"I know, but this is about us" he hesitated for a moment trying to make this sound right "we both have a life here, right now," she nodded "and I don't want to rush, but I want to make this clear, I want us to live together" her blue eyes shone in the light from the fish tank  
"Can you rent out the house for now?"  
"I guess, that's the best option, we can decide later and in the meantime the house will pay for itself"  
"Then I'd rent out the house"  
"And what about us? We've been together for a year now, and I'm not going anywhere, so in the interest of you not telling me one day that I never really asked" he smiled and kissed the corner of her mouth "I'm asking, let's move in together"  
"Where? Here?"  
"It's close to your work and mine" he kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear "please, move in with me"  
"You don't have enough closet space"  
"I'll buy the apartment next door" his tone turned to joking "punch a door in the wall and you can keep your shoes in all three rooms there"  
"You're crazy"  
"About you? I am" she giggled and kissed him "so is that a yes?"  
"What about my books"  
"There's always the one upstairs" she laughed and kissed him again, deeper this time "but just so you know, the one below is mine"  
"Alright Rockefeller"  
"Yes?"  
"Yes" he pulled her down on the couch and she wrapped her arms and legs around him "one thing though, I want this place repainted"  
"Just that?"  
"I've been living here most of the week anyway for past four months, so yeah"  
"Okay, siena beige, cerulean blue, whatever you like" their lips met and his hand caressed her thigh "you wanna make that honeymoon video now?"  
"Let's keep it a live performance, if you don't mind"

 

Lying naked on the couch under a blanket on a late Monday afternoon wasn't standard.  
"What are you thinking about"  
"Cerulean blue" she chuckled and dropped a kiss on his chest "and how are we going to fit everything in"  
"We won't and then we'll have to move" he sighed, a bit of longing in it "I like this place"  
"Me too" she turned in his arms and faced the room, her back to his side before he followed propping his head on his palm "how are we going to do this?"  
"Buy some tarp, a bucket of paint, couple of hand grenades, cover the couch and duck?"  
"Sounds like a plan" she smiled and snuggled deeper into his arms "you really want to do this? We could hire someone."  
"Me and the guys can handle a little paint" he kissed her shoulder "we did it once, we can do it again"  
"You did this?" Scully turned and he nodded with a smile  
"I am not a complete loser"  
"You're not a loser at all" she kissed her favorite lower lip in the world "and I love you"  
"We're too gooey and romantic" he pulled her closer "we should fight sometimes"  
"We argue all the time" she put one arm under her head and her breast peeked at him from under the blanket. He cupped it in his hand, teasing her nipple with his thumb, making it harden "okay, I can't argue with you when you do that, so stop"  
"I don't want to" he leaned over and captured it between his lips then circled it with the tip of his tongue "I'm a boob kind of guy"  
"And I'm a pouty lip kind of girl" she pulled his face back and kissed him, slow and teasing and he repaid her in kind.  
"This discussion is devolving pretty quickly" he peppered her face with kisses, palm cupping her cheek "what were you saying?"  
"Never mind" her hand traveled down his back until she squeezed his ass under the blanket and he pulled her on top of him. She rolled her hips against his and gripped his shoulders. The view alone was making him hard, he felt her wetness and smiled, this time it was for her and she was taking him for a ride.  
"How about this" she reached between them and guided him inside "we put off the move" she moved down his shaft then slowly back up, his hands rested on her hips, and she leaned forward, moving one of his palms to her center for him to help her on.  
"And look for a real house around here, or an apartment"  
"And what if" he sucked in a breath when she flexed her muscles around him "there was an apartment" he circled her just as she liked and she closed her eyes with a breathy moan.  
"Where?"  
"Two floors down?" That made her stop  
"What?"  
He pulled her down parting her lips with his tongue, sucking on it and working her clit until she whimpered, swollen and tight. Her hips rocking against him unable to stay still.  
"24, two bedrooms, windows facing south" he dug his fingers into her hips, shifting her as he himself couldn't stay still "oh God"  
"Keep going"  
"Large bathroom, bathtub"  
"Not that, shut up and fuck me" 

 

Some very intense time later she sighed resting on his chest, Mulder's arms around her, roaming her back. "So there's no point in giving this place a paint job"  
"Not before I ask about the place downstairs" he kissed her forehead, her lips tracing kisses up his jaw.  
"When?"  
"You warmed up to the idea pretty fast"  
"You warmed me up pretty fast" she breathed into his ear nibbling on his earlobe.  
"Tomorrow? I think the guy who lived there was a writer and he had to move out" he shifted "can we move this party to bed?"  
"It's only 9pm"  
"An early start, that's how I would call it"  
She moved rubbing her whole body against his as she got up.  
"I need a glass of water, you want some?"  
"Yup" he followed and stood behind her as she filled the glass from the tap, drank half and gave him the rest turning to face him.  
He really had a great body, all lean muscle, light sprinkle of chest hair. Even though without heels he stood a foot taller than her, she never felt small around him, well maybe when he carried her around in his arms. He caught her staring as he put the glass in the sink.  
"Enjoying the view?" Mulder chuckled and she laced fingers behind his back. She wasn't shy but there was something decadent about walking around the apartment naked after two orgasms and still all night ahead of them, the thought woke her senses back up.  
"Very much" she caressed his ass and his hands rested on the counter on each side of her, capturing her lips in a kiss. Languid strokes of his tongue were quickly building the fire between them back up, but now that she got her fill of him, at least for some time, she felt that something wasn't right "Mulder"  
"Mmhh" he picked her up and set her on the cold counter, perfectly leveled for his hands and mouth to tease her breasts.  
"What is this?" She pulled gently at his hair making him unlatch with a small pop.  
"You don't like it?"  
"Why are you so greedy tonight" that made him stop.  
"Am I?" His tone was hurt and he started to pull back.  
"Don't do that" she put one hand on the nape of his neck and leaned up to meet his lips "did something happen? I just want you to talk to me" his kiss was soft and small, and somehow sad.  
"Whatever it is, I want to know" her arms and legs went back around him and she pulled him closer, reinforcing the connection between them.  
"Doc, my dad died" his voice was sad, like he has just realized that.  
"I know, I'm sorry"  
"And it's halloween, everybody's happy, candy and funny costumes, and silly monsters and I always loved that" he hid his face in her shoulder and pulled her closer "but today all I want to do is hide from it"  
"We can hide together" she said kissing his shoulder.  
"He came to me, on my birthday"  
She kissed his ear sliding off the counter and he let her take him by the hand and lead him to the bedroom. She lit the bedside lamp and turned down the bed, they got in and he rested his head in her chest as she pulled the sheets over them for warmth. The soft light carved out a safe little world just for them.  
"Why?" She asked running her fingers up his spine to sooth him, it usually worked.  
"He found out about us, from my mom"  
"We were never a secret, he'd find out eventually"  
"I know, he spoke about family, how important it is and I laughed at him. Why do we always say the wrong things at the wrong time?" she kept stroking his back, assuming the question was rhetorical "Why didn't I ask him what went wrong? Why did he leave mom and me. What was he doing that was so important, it justified abandoning his family? Was he even looking for Sam?"  
"I imagined sometimes that one day he'll get out of the car and she'll be with him, safe and sound. I was twelve, I knew better, but I hoped, I dreamed about it sometimes" he shifted and she followed, lying on her side face to face in the dim light "she came back and we moved on, everything was back to normal, though I didn't really have any idea what normal was by that time" there was a hint of shame in his tone "I couldn't remember what ice cream she liked, peppermint or cream fudge? In time I started to wonder, what would she be like, if we grew up together. Would we be close like you and Missy? How would she take her coffee? Would she pick tequila or rum?"  
"What else?"  
"Maybe she has kids of her own? A husband, would I like him or not?" She smiled brushing her fingers across his cheek, a tear "would you like her?"  
"I'm sure I would" she smiled a small smile  
"So am I" he brushed her lips with his twining their hands between them "my dad told me that he wished nothing like that ever happened to us, the loss and pain, after all this years he came to see me and wish me luck"  
"He was your father, every parent wants their child to be happy"  
"And I am, right now, with you" he kissed her knuckles "no matter where we are"  
"And you make me happy, I'm sure you know that"  
"My parents were cold, even before Sam disappeared, neither of them was very affectionate, dad tried to raise me to be tough, Sam was supposed to be the lady" he chuckled for the first time wiping his eyes "I don't know about her, but look how I turned out"  
"You turned out just fine" her smile was full of love and pride.  
"I just wanted to be better than him" he moved closer to her, sharing her warmth "to give people what I never got, I don't want to be like him, ever"  
"He couldn't be that bad all the time"  
"It was the sixties, no one expected the father to be the source of love, but after Sam disappeared he was even worse, always looking at the world through the bottom of a glass, if we even saw him at home which was rare. He spent most of his time here, in D.C."  
"Like my dad, always out to sea"  
"I think you had better idea what your father did than I, his work came first and we were expected to live with that, I want to be there, for my kids, for school games and recitals and the tea parties with tiny tea cups" he smiled and she imagined it huffing out a laugh.  
"You will, I promise"  
"And I want to be there for you, but not just like he was for my mom, we never wanted for money, that was his idea of caring about family" Mulder pressed his lips to her mouth "I want to give you more, myself, my time and everything you might ever want or need, comfort and safety as possible to achieve" he rested his forehead on hers and said, softly but clearly "I want to do everything in my power for you to be happy you chose me, if you will"  
The silence stretched between them, somehow he was saying the things that shifted to world around them "Will you? Have me?"  
A tear fell form her eye and he wiped it away with a gentle touch.  
"Yes, Fox William Mulder, I will, and I'm yours, from now on till the end of time"  
His kiss was gentle at first, but as she pulled him closer he abandoned the reverence and again it was just her and him, and the soft light around them  
"I love you" she whispered against his lips  
"I love you more" he smiled  
"More than what?"  
"More than ice cream"  
"More than Star Trek?"  
"And Star Wars" he was pulling her on top "combined"  
"That's a lot of love"  
"Galaxies of it"  
"You're such a cheesy novel sometimes"  
"Whatever, come here" he pulled her lips to his and there was no more negotiating or confessions that night. 

The next day Mulder called the agency and asked about the apartment. It was available for viewing whenever it was convenient for them. He set up a meeting and called the Gunmen to tell them their services might soon be required. 

She came out from the bathroom and found Mulder already in bed, reading with his glasses on "What have you got there?"  
"A book by that guy who lived here" he turned the page and laughed.  
"Any good?"  
"As purple as it gets" he chuckled again "But the funny thing is that the main character carries a remarkable resemblance to someone we know"  
"And who's that" she nestled herself next to him, sneaking one palm under his t-shirt tracing the muscles there and making them flex, he was a bit ticklish. He read out loud.  
_"Even now, as she pushed an errant strand of titian hair behind her ear she worried her partner would know instinctively what she could only guess."_ He made it sound lush and seductive _"To be thought of as simply a beautiful woman was bridling, unthinkable. But she was beautiful... fatally, stunningly prepossessing."_  
She snorted "that could be about anyone, I'm not the only redhead out there"  
"I don't think so" there was a distinct smile in his voice as he kept reading, running his fingers through her hair in an absentminded yet most tender caress.  
_"All morning the stranger's unsolicited compliments had played on the dampened strings of her instrument until the middle ‘C’ of consciousness was struck square and resonant. She was flattered. His words had presented her a pretty picture of herself quite unlike the practiced mask of uprightness that mirrored back to her from the medical examiners and the investigators and all the lawmen who dared no such utterances"_ he smiled as she pulled at the waistband of his pants "I should compliment you more"  
"This may sound crude, but are you going to read other man's fantasies about me with my mouth around your cock?"  
He closed the book and threw it aside "you're right"  
She smiled kissing her way down his happy trail "I usually am" and looking up into his eyes licked her lips.

They christened the apartment then re-christened it and then done it again in the morning, just for fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> U2 - ["Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own"](https://open.spotify.com/track/3EMicyS99F8j49WQmoYMZl)


	16. Come Away With Me

From the very beginning, Mulder insisted on going out, determined not to let the romance wear off too fast. It would be so easy to stay close to home, dividing their time between the couch and the bar.  
They both loved going to the movies. He dragged her to crazy sci-fi flicks about time traveling ancient Egyptians, publishers turning into werewolves, thrillers about kidnaped busses and dry-humored hitmen quoting bible and debating metric system in France.  
She took him to see a fictional yet still remarkable story of one man changing the course of history, and her own movie about a hitman and a little girl, a gothic story about vampires. They both loved Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan, just as they never again looked at tv game shows the same way after one night with a story about what went on backstage.  
In the summer they took a blanket and went to the park, where the community center set up a screen and showed movies on Saturday nights. She fell asleep with her head on his shoulder when Don Juan seduced women, and shed a tear when true love conquered greed bringing together two kindhearted people who were too good to be real.  
They held hands, made out, laughed and cried and gasped, reveling in being together. The movie theater was in walking distance from his, and later their, apartment so they usually walked home, hand in hand, without any rush, stoping by at The Believer for a drink or a heated discussion with the Gunmen about the movie they just watched. 

Sharing breakfast in bed was a Sunday morning ritual they both cherished and observed each time her busy schedule allowed.  
"Mulder" she said with a playful warning "if you make me spill coffee"  
"Don't worry, Doc, everything's under control" he said taking the mug from her hand and placing it on the nightstand within easy reach "I'm cold that's all"  
"You're never cold" she pulled the pillow higher behind her back and opened her arms for him, as he climbed under the sheets and leaned on her with his head resting on her shoulder, her one arm wrapped around him. She handed him the paper and pen she was holding for him and reached again for her coffee. Both warm and comfortable, he began to read out loud.  
"Okay, let's see" he folded the paper to keep the pen from poking a hole in the puzzle before they finished "eight letters, another word for fiancé"  
"No idea" she teased "any hints?"  
"I'd say Scully, but you're too short" she slapped his chest playfully "ouch! in letters, two letters short Doc" ha laughed and wrote down as they spoke together.  
"Bethroed" she dropped a kiss on his head and took a sip of coffee "next"  
"New Orlean's magic, with a lot of vowels"  
"Macumba" she tried first.  
"Too long" he replied clicking the release of his automatic pen.  
"Santeria" she baited, knowing the answer from the start.  
"Too long"  
"Wicca"  
"Too European"  
"Voodoo" she smiled finally giving up the act.  
"You know, if I hadn't already" he said filling the squares and looked at her over his shoulder "I'd ask you to marry me"  
She leaned in and kissed him. "Next one"  
"The first vertebra"  
"Atlas" she said before he finished reading the hint.  
"Showoff" 

Thanksgiving dinner wasn't as bad as Scully thought. Missy apparently had a few words with Bill and he made an effort to be, if not friendly then at least, civil.  
They held hands as they said grace and the simple diamond solitaire in a gold setting caught the light with each move of her hand. 

Last boxes from her place arrived at the start of December. After some debate, the bed from her apartment went into storage and the smaller bedroom became their shared study. Mulder's couch fit in there nicely, as did his desk, and her bookcase. She claimed the living room, the bedroom was a shared effort with his bed, her lamps and comforter, new rug and an easy chair.  
Missy got them a vase and Mulder did his best so she always had flowers in it, apart from her plants.  
The bathroom was large, as promised and recently renovated, the bathtub did fit them both easily, and it was the only thing she worried she might miss about her old place. Mulder quickly took care of that fear, after the first day of moving things and running between floors. The bathtub was the reason the bed went downstairs first, as has the kitchen. They were ready to move in in two days, thanks to The Lone Gunmen's help. 

When she came home Mulder was watching the game. Bouncing on the couch and cheering like a boy.  
"Hi! Come see!" He called to her as she closed the door and hung her coat in the closet.  
She was dead tired, running on fumes for the past hour. In moments like this she blessed the fact they decided to live across the street.  
"You hungry?" He asked keeping one eye on the tv, as she took his face in hands to kiss him by way of greeting.  
"Too tired to think, gonna take a nap first"  
"Okay" he looked at her faint smile and turned the volume down a bit "I'll order and wake you when it gets here"  
"Thanks" she went to lay down in the study.  
Thirty minutes and twelve loosing points later she felt someone pull at the blanket under which she was sleeping.  
"Food here?" She asked sleepily  
"Shhhh, half an hour" he squeezed in next to her and she snuggled into his open arms "rest Doc"  
"How's the game?" He rubbed her back in small circles, his sweatshirt smelled like her fabric softener.  
"There's always some other game to get even" he said philosophically into the dimness "thai's okay?"  
"Sure" and she drifted back to sleep.

 

"Where are we going to put the tree?" He asked spotting her looking out the window, watching the sun setting very early this time of year.  
"How long can I keep it?"  
"As long as you like, why?"  
"Nothing, I think here, by the window would be nice" she pointed to a place right next to where she was standing.  
"Okay, but none of that fake stuff" he said wrapping his arms around her waist.  
"Of course not, I love the smell of fresh pine" she looked again outside the window, the snow was falling thick and fast. "Mulder?"  
"Yes?"  
"My mom asked about the date"  
"What did you tell her?"  
"That with your father's funeral and all, we can wait"  
"Do you really want to?"  
"Do you?"  
"What if I said I don't?"  
"Then I'd say that I don't want a big wedding, I want it to be just us" she turned in his arms and hid in his chest, afraid what she might see in his face "my mom wants this big party for the entire family, and I mean entire, over 100 people just on my side, for starters that is, and she's ready to pay for it too"  
"Money's not the issue here"  
"I know, but it feels like a flying circus" she laced her fingers behind his back "we'd be no better than those figurines people put on top of the cake"  
"It's just for one night, it can't be that bad"  
"It feels like ticking off boxes, next on her wishlist will be a baby"  
"We already talked about that"  
"I know, and the worst part is that I know we can't elope"  
"You would do that?"  
"It's crazy and exciting and" she glanced up at him and saw his broad smile "don't look at me like that"  
"Like what?"  
"Like we could do it"  
"We can" he reached for her hands pulling them from around his waist and disappeared in the study. When he came back, he showed her a small velvet box in the palm of his hand  
"You didn't"  
"I sure did" he reached to open it.  
"No, don't" she covered his hand before he could do it and his face fell a little.  
"You don't even want to see them?" She closed his palm around the box and pushed his hand away folding it against his chest  
"Scully?" Mulder was getting more confused with each passing second, when the phone rang and she went to answer it  
"Doc! Come on, you can't do this" he called after her, his voice breaking, watching her as she picked up the phone, panic rising quickly, punching against the walls of his chest, this was not happening.  
"Scully" she answered, _never 'Mulder'_ he thought desperately "Hi Missy"  
Her tone was so alien to him he didn't understand what she was saying "You're in town tonight? Downstairs?"  
He needed air and she hid all of it in her lungs. He took a step towards her but she held up one finger somehow stopping him and his world, trapping him on the dark side "Are you up for a little trip out of town?"  
He almost collapsed on the floor, that was it, he fucked up. All year, he managed to keep his word "I'll explain everything when you get here"  
Why was she so calm, how could she smile when his world was falling apart?  
She hung up and came to him, pressing the phone into his hands.  
"Your turn"  
"What?"  
"You'll need a best man" 

"You're not trying to stop me" Dana said to her sister who was now driving the car, leaving her to fidget riding shotgun.  
"I would if I thought you're making a mistake, but I don't."  
"This won't make us the most popular couple in the family"  
Missy smiled "You're doing this for you, because you want it. Mom knows you're happy, she'll be happy with you. It's not like she didn't know it would happen eventually, I bet that ring can be seen from a mile away."  
"And Bill?" Dana played with the ring around her finger, so simple, so elegant, so him. They picked it together, or rather he picked and she laughed until he guessed what she wanted.  
"Bill will get over it, and if not? he lives on the other side of the country anyway, let him have his perfect life"  
"Missy, I love you"  
"And I love that you finally followed your heart" she smiled again and slowed down a little "he's a good guy Dana, there's no point in waiting"

The drive to Atlantic city was the longest trip Mulder ever took in his life. She and Missy took her car, he and the Gunmen took his. The snow kept falling and the roads were white. The trees were white, his white shirt and tie (the serious one) were waiting on the hanger behind his seat. He didn't know what she chose for the night.  
"Who would have thought that" Byers mused from the passenger seat.  
"Don't look at me, I'm having trouble believing it as it is"  
"You did buy the rings"  
"Yeah, but I thought she'll want a normal wedding someday, the dress, party, whole 9 yards"  
"We should find a chapel with Priest Elvis!" Langly suggested halfheartedly.  
"I don't wanna push my luck" he chuckled.  
"Come on, in for a penny..."  
"Okay, but you talk to Missy about it"  
"You bet I will"  
"What is wrong with this weather?" Mulder scowled through the windshield "who ordered white Christmas?"  
"I did" Frohike sounded of from the back seat "you should thank me, I think it was the snow that softened her"  
"To drive through this?" He gestured at the white forest in front of them "getting us there safely will be my wedding gift"  
"Don't say things like that, best shut up altogether and focus on driving" Langly sounded panicky since they passed Philly "I wanna live through this madness to tell my future kids about it"  
"Hey, maybe she's..." Frohike's eyed rounded as the thought entered his mind.  
"No way" all three looked at the groom.  
"I don't think so" he was fairly certain, there was a bit of hesitation in his voice "she's still on the pill"  
"Stop, too many details" Mulder's love life made Langly very aware of the lack of his own.  
"What? You asked" Mulder smiled to himself, maybe he could bring that discussion back to the table.  
"Maybe she's possessed" Frohike kept looking for some explanation to this mysteriously rapid turn of events.  
"Thanks" he snorted "give her some credit, Scully knows how to have fun"  
"Yeah?" They knew mostly her quick wit and brilliant mind,  
"Trust me, she is spontaneous and a little crazy sometimes"  
"But why Atlantic City?"  
"Beats me, once we get there we'll ask"

They never asked.  
Scully walked down the isle wearing a white chiffon blouse, white jeans and a blue translucent scarf, that Missy somehow managed to drape over her face making it look like a sky colored veil, a small bouquet of pale pink carnations and roses in hand. It was some kind of miracle what Missy could whip up in half an hour at the mall.  
They spoke their vows, he slipped the ring on her finger, she on his, and The King proclaimed them husband and wife. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he picked her up, twirling them around and kissing his wife for the first time. 

Around 2am, after a few late night drinks, some dancing and cake they decided to call it a night.  
"The honeymoon suite? Who's paying for that?" She said taking the keys that were pushed into her hands.  
"We are" Frohike smiled at the both of them, "it's our little gift, three days"  
"Thank you" she hugged him and he hugged her back "It's all I got anyway" she smiled letting him go and wrapped her arm around Mulder's waist "shall we?"  
"Come on Mrs. Mulder your chariot awaits!" He leaned in and picked her up, gathering her to his chest and she wrapped her arms around his neck.  
"G'night" she called to them over his shoulder and giggled as he carried her away to the elevators. When they disappeared inside, all that was left was an echo of her laugh.

"Pinch me, Doc" he brushed his lips over hers and she caught his lip between her teeth, tugging at it gently "yup, I'm awake"  
"Yeah, we are" the sun was rising over the ocean in the distance, the city was white as far as they could see from the bed, through the floor to ceiling windows of their room.  
"Good morning Mrs Mulder" he kissed her feeling the metal of the ring around his finger when he twined his fingers with hers.  
"Good morning dear husband"  
"Do you feel different?" He asked brushing a strand of hair from her forehead. He loved her morning face, yesterday there were not enough mornings in the world to count all her freckles, but from now on he could assume he had that forever.  
"No" she smiled and lifted her hand, fingers spread, examining the ring "and yes"  
He took her hand and kissed the simple gold band then each knuckle of her elegant fingers.  
"You know I wasn't supposed to work that night we met?"  
"No?"  
"I had a boyfriend then, and" she paused  
"What?" He smiled encouragingly playing with her hand. He already saw himself change, two days ago such mention would have a much stronger effect  
"That night, we were supposed to have dinner together" her voice was distant as if she was looking at that moment in a different light, a gold and diamond bright shine "I knew he wanted to propose and I ran, I freaked out" Mulder listened playing with her wedding band, turning it around her finger "I switched nights with a friend who's kid had a recital at school or something like that, and while he waited, I met you" she looked him in the eye with a gorgeous, happy sunshine smile "and look where we are now"  
She pulled her hand from his grasp and ran her fingers through his hair, the morning shade on his jaw making him look roughish and hot, that was how she liked her Mulder.  
"What was his name?" Mulder asked pulling her onto her side and hooking her leg over his hip "I'd like to sent him a thank you note"  
The phone rang before he could shut her up with as kiss as she undoubtedly would tell him not to bother. She answered and he settled for running one hand up her thigh.  
"Mulder" she spoke to the receiver and his grin rivaled the shine of her ring in the morning sun.  
"Good morning Mrs Mulder" Missy said in a singsong voice "will you lovebirds join us for breakfast? We'd like to say goodbye before we leave"  
"You're leaving?"  
"It's your honeymoon weekend, what good am I here?" She had a point and Dana smiled at her own silliness.  
"Give us 10 minutes, we'll meet you in the lobby"  
"Take your car keys, we'll need a ride"

She held him in her arms, nuzzling his face with the tip of her nose and lips brushing small kisses over his skin. He was man enough to relish her sweet attention, revel in it, he loved it, he loved her, and he loved that in that moment there was nothing in the world except the warmth between them. The mint on her breath and her thigh trapped between his, her palm on his hip, bodies tangled, both heartbeats calm.  
He was aware of every inhale and exhale, hypnotizing waves of her existence counting the seconds away at infinite. Bound together not only by vows but that thing that laid deeper, that thing that made you open and ready to be competed. That part of a puzzle of life starting with two.  
He imagined cradling her baby belly between them, their newborn child, a perfect wrinkled little alien, their teenage kid embarrassed at his or hers parents public displays of affection, and maybe someday in a moment like this, discovering that this is what life is about, this swell and fall of that other persons chest and love that can only grow when its shared.  
He puled her closer and her lips found his and the silent wrestle ended with both of them winning, never dreaming of asking for anything else. 

They strolled down the beach, a soft wind freezing their breaths and only their breaths, warm clothes and arms wrapped around each other against the cold beauty of the winter's waves. They left their footprints in the sand, and looked around for a way to go back and finds a nice cozy cafe that served hot chocolate.  
Away from Christmas madness of the world around them, their last three days were a blissful silence. She ordered hot chili chocolate, he went with coffee, black, no sugar, knowing he'll steal a taste of whipped cream from her and waiting impatiently for it.  
Waiting for drinks, on a comfortable couch, he told her a story about The Jersey Devil, and as they warmed up, surrounded by dark wood paneling and Christmas carols, it morphed into discussion about rain forest and civilization cutting deep into the wilderness, always hungry, greedy, insatiable in it's expand.  
They drove back home, the roads swiped clean of snow, she looked out the window, unaware, that if they stopped, they'd find a trail of bare human footprints running into the woods and back in the direction of the city.  
They got back home a day before Christmas Eve. He carried her through the threshold of their apartment and straight to the bedroom. She let him, but under the condition of finding time to go out and buy a tree later. 

She clutched at his hand as they stood on her mother's doorstep on Christmas morning.  
"Will you ring the doorbell or should I" he asked hesitant, feeling her tense.  
"Just give me a second" she felt her heart beating fast, afraid of her mother's reaction, finally fully aware of her own selfishness.  
Mulder decided to be brave for the two of them, reached past her and pressed the button.  
"Relax, whatever happens, we're in this together" he cupped her cheek in his left hand and pressed a soft, tender kiss on her lips. Her heart slowed down and she relaxed into it, he knew it helped and she believed him because he felt the change happen even as the door opened.

Maggie Scully caught them in that private little moment and smiled when she noticed the gold band around Mulder's finger. The picture before her was all the explanation she needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Norah Jones - ["Come Away With Me"](https://open.spotify.com/track/0Cvjlph1WGbwZY1PlMEtJY)


	17. Mind games

In the end, Scully kept her name. Doctor Dana Kathrine Scully Mulder. It looked and sounded like a mouthful, yet they agreed it was this or explaining why he still called her Scully and she him, Mulder for the next fifty years. They both also agreed that the kids will be Mulder, there was no doubt about it.

The only light in the room coming from a lamp by the couch and twinkle lights on the Christmas tree was calming. Mulder was working and she had the evening to herself. She laid down with a honest intention of reading a book but her mind wandered.  
If she looked at it, her life didn't change much from what it had been at the start of their relationship. The address changed, the name changed, yet she herself, not so much. She had her alone time, she had her job, she gave up a bit of her independence but it didn't feel like a sacrifice and some decisions were still hers.  
She wanted kids, and she knew Mulder wanted them more than anything, but she was still on the pill. She had her job, some idea of a career, and she didn't want to sacrifice it, if she had a chance to have both work and family, if she did it in the right moment and she knew it could be done. What it required was a firm footing in one field to try to take a step over to the other.  
Once she established her presence at the hospital, she only worked there for a year and a half, she might consider disappearing for a few months and do it fairly confident she will be capable of picking things up where she left them. These were the reasons she told Mulder, he respected that and agreed, understanding need of self reliance as a part of who she was. She was a doctor, she knew the risks of waiting too long, and he was ready for her whenever she thought the time was right. It was a plan, and they stick to it. However, it wasn't so arbitrary that a change couldn't be triggered by a vague feeling of readiness she might get one morning. She searched for that need inside herself taking the pill each morning and wondered, was it there waiting or did it appear as the hormones kicked in after?  
She looked at her stomach, flat and pliant now, and thought how Mulder rested his head on it that morning, drawing circles on her hip, telling her they needed milk and eggs and asking if maybe she could make enchiladas for dinner?  
Lifting her blouse and feeling the skin, soft and silky smooth, she remembered it peppered with kisses and tickled by his chin, his eyes on her, hair falling down his forehead, tongue licking her wetness off his lips. The effect was almost instantaneous, blood rushed south creating familiar pressure between her thighs.  
She glanced at the watch, slipped one palm under the waistband of her cotton pants feeling her skin hot to the touch, slick with arousal, _no reason to stop_ she thought with a smile and recalled how he'd hook her leg over his shoulder with a wicked gleam in his eye, holding her down, palm spread over her belly, mischief in his smile. Her toes curled as she imagined searching leverage with one foot on his hip, angling herself, never a passive recipient of his attention but a combined effort, their goal her pleasure and his satisfaction.  
In her mind he first blew cool air over the sensitive skin then flicked his hot tongue over her clit. The sensation was electric, both real and imagined, as she drew figures eight and six and nine, just as he did, studying for an exam like a diligent student, taking his time learning new ways to tease her. Her fingers retraced his steps as if grading his test and yes, all of his answers were correct.  
The language of her body had a very nuanced pronunciation and it took all the skill, honed over years of shelling sunflower seeds, to get it right. When he dipped the tip of his tongue inside her, a deep moan that escaped her throat sounded like from another person, a sensual, primal thing that lived within her and spoke directly to him, asking secret questions he loved to answer.  
She knew her own body as a woman and a doctor, through her college years of experimenting, pushing boundaries, alone and with others. In the bright lights of the bathroom or dim silence of her bedroom, she became friends with that primal voice and learned the language. No one else bothered to do that, no one except Mulder.  
She brought back the memory of what it felt like to cede the control to them, and let her rational self just lay back and feel, give up on trying to catch each stroke, brush and lick until his thumb took over, working her clit. When his tongue spread her and dove as deep as he could reach, she closed her eyes. To be so intimately possessed was very human but also very private.  
In her mind he took the last turn on her road to madness, switching places, tongue sliding over her clit, fingers stroking her, crooking his fingers inside her, calling wordlessly to her deepest self, _'c'mere let me feel you'_ he seemed to call out, _'come, take my hand'_.  
She fought him, playing hard to get, her own fingers jostling the memory of her primal self in his absence. She circled her clit and dipped two hingers inside and she played out his part, panting and shaking, hips writhing in pleasure, lifting slightly of the couch. Her inner self played along, reveling in he memory, overjoyed because yes, he was so good to them, so bold and confident in his skills. He was the the right choice in the end, her equal partner in pleasure, her match.  
She felt the tension gathering, sensation and memory overlapping until spasms griped her in waves, from inside out, from hips to shoulders, all build up escaping on a sharp exhale that sounded like a half of his name. She kept stroking her wet, hot center, prolonging the moment as blood went back to places it usually frequented, back to work, fun time's over.  
Scully opened her eyes and slowly gathered her thoughts, glancing at the watch, then at the door.  
"How long have you been standing there?"  
"Long enough" he looked at his hand and chuckled examining the moisture there "you started on the laundry yet?"  
Scully laughed, thinking he must have heard her calling.  
They showered together, as the wash machine erased all evidence, cleaning the slate for another day. 

"Mulder"  
"Yes Dear?" she giggled "Dearest?" then laughed.  
"Darling? Love? Sunshine? Sweet Pea? Honey? Baby?" He searched for silliest pet names just to hear her laugh. She never noticed how his bishop took her knight. "What?"  
"I thought I was Doc"  
"Yes Doc?"  
They sat on the floor, a chess board between them on the coffee table, he was winning, but only barely.  
"I was thinking" she examined the pieces and all her chances.  
"About the game?" Mulder prompted taking a swig of his beer  
"No, about Gibson"  
"What about him?"  
"What things did he hear that he wasn't supposed to" she moved a pawn to protect the bishop.  
"He told me I have a dirty mind" Mulder snickered.  
"To me he said that I don't care about that people think."  
"Even me?"  
"I care about you, and that includes what you think?" She tried to skid the implied insult.  
"Smooth" he smiled nodding appreciatively.  
"What I mean, is how cynical a 10 year old might get living a life like this" she leaned on the couch, one knee pulled to her chest "this disillusioned childhood. Can you imagine how many white lies parents tell their children just to protect them? How much of child's security is build on misinformation?"  
"You assume that his parents didn't know about his ability, maybe still don't? that's unlikely. And we don't know how his ability affected his development. How does it work, does he hear voices or feels the sentiment of a person clearly enough to put it into words"  
"He said it's like radio so we can assume it's the first option" Mulder played with one of her pawns he took earlier.  
"Now how do children learn to speak, by listening to grownups talk, so he possibly acquired that skill pretty early, that must have been a couple of pretty embarrassing years for his parents, no doubt"  
"Wow, that must've been awkward"  
"Mommy why are you thinking about that man's pee-pee" she giggled at his funny voice. "A child's honesty is a beautiful thing"  
"It had to be confusing for him to realize that what he hears them thinking is usually different from what they're saying"  
"I was amazed how normal the seemed, a little too serious but still a kid, who liked video games and cartoons and the small doctor who took care of him." She blushed and propped her chin on her knee.  
"I watched you as you changed his bandages, the way you distracted him" he stared at the board and moved her piece then his own, protecting her from almost inevitable check.  
"I was just trying to take his mind of the Frankenstein thing, he didn't look like the kind of kid who appreciated being even more special than he already was. But imagine doing it every day, marshaling not only your words but your thoughts as well"  
"What interests me more are his parents, how did they come together and produced such a remarkable child, did they have some kind of abilities of their own? Superior intuition of some kind, that made them more aware of the other's intentions? Wouldn't you want to be able to do something that?"  
"What? Read other peoples's minds? God no, I wouldn't be able to get up in the morning, regardless of what the kid said about me."  
"You don't think it would make people equal?" pieces moved off the board as he replayed some match he red about in a manual years ago.  
"No, I think it would make people even more mean then they already are"  
"Would it? We think in terms of a sudden onset of this condition, but he was raised with it. Now when I think about it, how long did it take for his parents to catch on. Did he say more than they wanted to hear? Did he call them out on their lies? When did they realize it was pointless and how they worked around it. Total honesty with a, what, two year old, unlikely. And one more question, he might hear the words, but did he understand them? How did he learn to distinguish truth from lies without the knowledge necessary to verify the data he received?"  
"Easy, when you tell a lie, you consciously utter a contradictory statement to your knowledge. Like when I take this glass and tell you it's wine, I know I'm lying because I know it's beer, so the liar is a lie detector at the same time"  
"But what about misinformation, I might tell you that this beer is sweet, although I haven't tasted it. I know there are some brands that are sweet, and I don't know them all, so I might tell a lie and not know about it"  
"Yes, there's that too, but we're talking about things that happen in a child's life so you can safely assume that the paren't knowledge is larger than the child's"  
"So we have a kid who knows too much, does it speed or impair his development? He seemed fairly normal, and from the tests I saw he was intelligent, but not super smart, not like Einstein"  
"Maybe he tampered with the tests? No kid wants to be a lab rat, especially when he knows he will become one"  
"It's easy to lie if you know they're on to you"  
"I just hope they will leave him in peace, no child deserves to be treated like this"  
"He's home, safe with his family" Mulder tipped his king and smiled "will you look at that, you won!" 

A few days later Scully came back to a dark and silent apartment. Her first thought was that Mulder was at the bar. She picked the papers and half empty coffee mug of the table, leaving on in the sink and the other in the study, and went to the bedroom, switching the lights on.  
"NO! TURN IT OFF" Mulder groaned from the bed and covered his eyes with his forearm, pale as a sheet. She did, quickly "ugh, not again"  
He got up and rushed for the bathroom, and when she heard his stomach heave she followed.  
"Mulder what's wrong?" She rubbed his back kneeling beside him as his whole body spasmed again.  
"Did you eat something?" unlikely, they ate the same things and she felt fine while he looked like dying.  
"Migraine" he choked last time, flushed. Scully got up and handed him a glass of water. He clearly knew what was going on so it wasn't the first time.  
"Have you seen a neurologist about it?" He got up and rinsed his mouth.  
"Yeah" she made him sit on the toilet seat, afraid he might fall down as he brushed his teeth, eyes closed.  
He finished and went back to bed, hiding his face in the cool pillow.  
His head was pulsing with pain, as if someone tied a belt around it and squeezed, the blood straining to reach his brain. Her hand on his back as she sat beside him was somewhere between comfort and annoyance. He felt too warm, everything burned and itched and bothered him. Something pressed against his thoughts, a nagging feeling that was completely irrational. Mulder never felt sorry for himself in moments like this, this wasn't his first time so why now?  
"Did you take any pills?" She asked, distracting him for a moment "I need to know if I'm going to give you anything"  
"Just some Tylenol, before it got serious" he turned onto his back and groaned "don't bother, nothing helps anyway"  
"I didn't know you have migraines"  
"It's been a while" there it was again, pity, it felt wrong, like a blanket thrown over him feeling too warm when he didn't want to sleep "could you open the window?"  
"Sure" she got up and the strange sensation subsided, he kept his eyes closed, even the little light from the street was hurting and it was all he could tolerate. The pain burned behind his eyes, and he pressed the edge of the pillow to his forehead, he felt like going through a sinusitis from hell. Scully left the room and for a moment there was nothing around him but pain and silence, making him feel alone and cold all of a sudden.  
He forced himself to sit up, his stomach rolled again and his head swam, but he pulled through, marshaling his reserves to take off his clothes and climb into bed, between the sheets. The nausea lurked like a stone in his empty stomach and he fought it by focusing on breathing. Last time he had trouble keeping down even water, for two days he ate only ice chips.  
Scully came back, he heard her walk in, keeping his eyes open was too exhausting. A heavy glass thumped softly on the bedside table, and a cold washcloth covered his eyes and forehead, instantly taking the edge of at least a part of his pain. He smiled for the first time that night.  
"Thanks" her hand brushed his cheek and disappeared. He could hear the rustle of clothes and water in the bathroom as she brushed her teeth.  
Mulder kept breathing, slow deliberate inhales and exhales, the pain pulsed in his temples in time with his heartbeat.  
Scully came back and got into bed, careful not to jostle him, but when he felt her hand cover his, he shook her of, the weight of it distracting and annoying. In that moment another feeling hit him. Hurt. Not pain, hurt, something that had no reason to exist in his current state and yet it did, it felt alien, somehow pressing on his mind from the outside and in a moment of clarity he realized, it was her. He was feeling her, next to him, it was her pity, her helplessness he felt before and now this. He could feel her, how was that possible, he tried to think but a new wave of sickness and pain rolled through him and instinctively he covered her hand with his, holding on to her fingers, and she held on to his. He listened to her breath, calm, rhythmic and tried to match his own to it.  
After a long moment the pain subsided, he relaxed and when he loosened his grip keeping her hand under his, she relaxed as well. Scully reached for the washcloth on his head and turned it over, the cool sensation soothed his pain again, even if for a moment.  
He started to distinguish himself from her and as time passed she calmed down, accepting that he was not in immediate danger and simply waiting for the headache to pass, slowly drifting off into sleep, curled on her side with her hand still covered with his. He followed her soon after, praying that once he woke up, the pain would be just a memory. 

It was, Mulder came to, tired as usual after an episode, and saw Scully's face in the soft peach light of the morning. He took her in his arms and somewhere on the edge of consciousness, as she wrapped her arm around his back he felt a faint echo, like warm water running down his back, like coming home after a tough day. Their breaths evened out and he fell back asleep feeling all the love he had in him and hoping it would work both ways this time. She stirred and moved closer, pushing past his walls and mumbled "I love you too"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one goes to odamaebrown who was the first person to believe I was capable of writing a 50 000 word story. Thank you!


	18. Birthday

_Kitchen counter is not a place to sit!_  
That's what her mother used to say, yet in her own kitchen, she's the queen and she sets her own rules. Scully braced herself on the edge and gracefully hoped on, without bumping her head on the cupboard above it or Mulder's help. He smiled and kept roasting marshmallows over the gas burner. Whole kitchen was filled with sweet scent of melting sugar that brought back some fond childhood memories.  
She stole a marshmallow from the oversized bag he brought back on a whim when she sent him for eggs "We used to do this for Charlie"  
"Charlie, the mystery man" Mulder laughed because although they were married for over two months he had yet to meet the youngest of the Scully's "one day we could hop on a plane and go visit him in Paris!" the golden hue of the candy was far from satisfying so he started to roll the fondue stick between his fingers.  
"Don't tease, we can't"  
"Why?" he gave her a look that said we-got-up-and-got-married-watch-me.  
"I" she hesitated, there was no reason why they couldn't go see him, maybe except her needing to take time off from the hospital again.  
"Don't make me go all cliché on you" in Mulder's world the sky was the limit this days "Valentine's Day in Paris?"  
"You're joking" sometimes she wasn't sure herself.  
"We already eloped once, so I won't even try to top that, but it's certainly doable" his smile was growing wider with each word, he could almost see it happen, but first he showed her the candy for approval.  
"I think it's done" she handed him two crackers, Mulder squashed the melting candy between them and handed the s'more back to her.  
"Yours, m'lady" it was warm and sweet and stuck to her cheeks and lips as she bit into it with childlike joy.  
"Missy always burned them" she smiled wiping the crumbs and white goo off her lip then licked her thumb "Your's are much better"  
"How is she?"  
"Well stretched" she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and Mulder snorted "her latest guy is a Yoga instructor"  
"Convenient" he sucked on her fingers as she fed him her last bite. 

Mulder liked to ask about his sister in law. His own family was torn apart for most of his life, so he loved the fact that Scully's stayed in touch, even if it was a phone call every now and then or a greeting card. Nothing could ever replace his own sister but if he'd ever found her, he hoped she might be something like Mellisa, feisty and open and loud. He liked her, as he did Scully's mom.  
Maggie came by for dinner every other Sunday and Mulder learned where Scully's calm disposition came from. Nothing ever fazed Maggie Scully, not spilled sauce on the table cloth, not burned roast because they got carried away and forgot to set the alarm on the stove. Even when she dropped by one evening and found them eating Chinese from cartons and watching ER on tv, fridge empty, sink full of dishes and both of them in PJ's on the couch in the living room. She never blinked an eye, just commandeered some egg rolls and finished watching the episode with them.  
It's Bill who had the biggest problem. He didn't like Mulder, though he had no other reason than some vague idea of their conduct being inadequate to their age and status. Maybe it was the free spirit and silliness they brought out in each other that rubbed him the wrong way. His wife, Tara, didn't seem like the kind of person who judged people on the spot, but being given a choice between picking a fight with her husband and her sister in law from the other side of the world, Mulder didn't blame her for keeping quiet and staying out of this particular family squabble. If it was anyone else he wouldn't give a damn what the man thought about him, but he was Scully's brother, and he hated to be the source of discord between his new family.  
Charlie, the most enigmatic of the Scully's remained a stranger, a Christmas card being the only proof of his existence. From what she told him, he went to Europe right after college, and stayed there. When they sent the card, telling him they got married a few weeks later came a package. It contained two matching silk scarves, a tiny oil painting of a couple in a street cafe in Paris and a note, addressed to Mulder  
_"Take good care of her, and if in trouble, give her chocolate. CS"_  
It made them both smile and from that moment on he wanted to meet the guy in person. 

In the end, they didn't go to Paris, when they realized she wouldn't get even a day off and it would require spending 16 hours on the plane, they decided that at the moment it was unnecessary waste of precious time.  
He took her out to the best grill in town instead. They decided that today was their Valentine's Day and both marveled at how far they've got in just one year.  
"Are we having the party this year?" Mulder asked wiping a drop of sauce of the corner of her smile and silently cursed the fact that the place had only tables with chairs, he'd kill for a couch right about now. Of course she had her conditions.  
"You won't close the bar?" he shook his head no, "and will you sing?"  
"That depends, would you like me to?" He was a bit surprised by this request.  
"I like it when you sing in the shower"  
"You heard me?" He flushed a slight shade of pink but quickly hid behind his bottle of beer.  
"Oh I did" she assured him playfully. 

The night was full moon and cloudless sky kind of bright. The cold air colored her cheeks red and it was a crazy idea to walk, but it was their kind of crazy so they did. Arms wrapped around each other, walking through the streets as if each day was Valentine's Day, not just the 14th.  
"You wanna walk all the way home?" Mulder asked.  
"You wanna freeze to death?"  
"I'll keep you warm" His tone was as indecent as the naked moon shining his butt from the sky above.  
"Why here? Why not home?"  
"Because" he pulled her close and dipped her back, lips pressed to hers with grace of a skilled dancer. Fred Astaire had nothing on Mulder, okay, maybe not Fred Astaire, but definitely better than Gene Kelly on his best days. Loud whistles from the other side of the street went by them, unnoticed.  
"If you wait, I'll make it worth your while" she whispered against his lips and he pulled her up, back on her feet but still in his arms.  
"I would wait years for you, if I had to"  
"You don't, and I don't want to so let's go home" 

Mulder woke up the next morning to something he had never heard before.

_Jeremiah was a bullfrog_  
_Was a good friend of mine_  


She sounded terribly off key, the melody didn't go quite like that either, and if it wasn't for the lyrics, he probably wouldn't guess what song she was singing. But honestly he didn't give a damn. She was happy enough to sing in the shower. Hugging the pillow and closing his eyes again, he listened to the water and her voice and let the sun that was just peeking into the bedroom over the corner of the building warm him up. February graced them with three brisk but sunny days, and the blue stretched on as far as he could see. It was a good day to be alive.  
Scully finished the verse and ducked her head under the shower to rinse her hair, warm water washing over her body with a softest caress.  
She had quite a year behind her. When she blew the single candle on the cake last year, the taste of his lips still fairly new on hers; after saying she loved him for the first time and meaning it; her wish was simple, she wanted it to last as long as possible. At that moment she would never say, that in one year time a gold ring would shine like a small sun around her finger. But it did, and he was there, sleeping in their bed, in their apartment, with a gold ring to match, as if it was always meant to be that way, and it was one of very few things she was certain of in life this days. Mulder will be there.  
She rinsed out last of the hair conditioner and heard him call from the bedroom.  
  
_"Chorus!"_

 

Pouring beer for the skinny guy sitting at the bar opposite him, Mulder thought there was something familiar about him. The man was staring through the mirror and scanning the wall behind him. He watched and he judged. Mulder knew that look, a distant expression of mild discomfort, as if he just walked into a biker's club and all sound died, not knowing whether to turn around and run or sit at the bar and enjoy the last drink of his life. This one was still undecided.  
A well cut suit and sensible tie loosened around his neck made him look even less like "The Believer's" usual clientele, the likes of Frohike and Langly. The closest thing to a suit and tie walking through this door was Byers, and sometimes Skinner, but that was so rare, it was hardly worth mentioning at all.  
Two girls at the far end of the bar, best friends from the local MUFON charter who finally gave up hope and stoped flirting with Mulder (another perk of the wedding band), were giggling quietly and throwing long looks at the newcomer. The guy looked a little too young for anything government related, maybe a freshly backed lawyer, a congressman's aid called away because of an emergency at the hospital? No, there was no air of tragedy around him, Mulder saw enough of that to know when a wife, child or parent were in danger and people stumbled over to look for something to sooth the pain. This guy was waiting for someone, as was Mulder.  
Mike rushed through the door, large box in his hands, and Mulder went to help.  
"What took you so long?" He asked quietly taking the box over the counter.  
"They mixed up the orders, good thing it was a local place" he said walking behind the bar, and following Mulder to the back room "not some franchise nonsense with twelve branches in six corners of the city". He helpfully opened the door of the large fridge they kept in the back "the cake was there, only marked as for someone else"  
"Good thing you made it before them" Mulder smiled, finally calm and ready.  
Mike left his leather jacket on the coat rack and followed his boss, ready to take over at any moment, because he tended to become distracted on days like this.  
"Big party?" The skinny guy asked when Mulder passed him.  
"Kinda tradition in the making"  
"Are you closing the bar?"  
"No, actually you might want to stick around" he gave the guy a reassuring smile.  
"What's the occasion?"  
"My wife's birthday" Mulder chuckled realizing how silly it must look.  
"You own the place?" he nodded and took a good look at the man, he did remind him of someone.  
"That's an interesting theme for a bar" he continued "I was in many different places, but none of them was quite like this one. Usually it's a night of this or that, a rock night, stand-up comedy night, jazz night, but this?" He gestured at the wall behind his back "this is a real commitment"  
Mulder decided to take it as a compliment "Our clients are few but faithful, we're all friends here"  
The Gunmen came and sat at the bar, Mulder greeted them with a nod and a smile.  
"Don't people think you crazy for believing in things like that?" He said it without malice, just curious "Are you The Believer?"  
"Oh wow look at the time" he laughed glancing at his watch "it's cheek-o-clock" the guy smiled and shrugged, still waiting for a reply, pining Mulder down with very blue eyes "when you say it like that, it sounds very conceited. We keep an open mind around here, be it about the existence of extraterrestrials, lake monsters or beer with raspberry sirup in it."  
"Well, I guess when convention and science fail, you might turn to the fantastic as a plausibility" the guy chuckled and took a swig of his beer, which was cold and bitter just as he liked it.  
"Something like that" Mulder leaned on the shelf behind the bar, arms crossed in front of his chest "can I ask what you do?"  
"I'm a consultant, but right now, I'm just visiting family"  
"You consult on what?"  
"This and that, boring, mundane stuff, nothing as exciting as" he looked over his shoulder and read one of the headlines "Monkey Babies Invading A Small Town"  
"That's a good one" Mulder snickered "and, believe it or not, as it turned out, had a rational, scientific explanation."  
"Which was? This rag doesn't look like one to bother with such things"  
"The simplest thing imaginable" Mulder said thumbing the ring around his finger "Four of the mothers who gave birth to said monkey babies were treated for infertility and as you'd imagine, they were not very happy with the clinic, press caught the whiff of a scandal and police got involved. I was there by accident, found that rag on a gas station and thought about interviewing the women for The Lone Gunman, the magazine I write for. I found out that the children were born with a rare disorder, a caudal appendage that hasn't atrophied as it normally would. And it was actually my wife, who's a doctor, that came up with the idea that such anomalies usually run in the family. I contacted the local police and told them to run a paternity test on all five babies, and true enough, it turned out they had the same father"  
"Wow, nice catch"  
"Yeah, she's pretty awesome, my Doc. But that's not the end of the story"  
"No?"  
"The real question was how four married women, who were treated for infertility, got pregnant with one man, who wasn't the husband of neither of them" the guy listened enthralled, and Mulder loved having an audience. "The clinic swore that there was no mistake during the IVF, no tampering with the samples, but that didn't help them very much in the end, they went out of business anyway. One of the cops spotted a janitor working at the clinic who had a scar that looked like a souvenir from a vestigial tail removal"  
"Get out" the guy laughed at first, but then his expression changed to one of disgust "ugh, that's just wrong, how did he get to those women"  
"Yeah, that's not funny at all, that's the bizarre part" Mulder's tone turned somber as well "apart from being born with a tail, he also could change his appearance to look like the husband of each of the four women"  
"Four? What about the fifth child?"  
"Well, the fifth woman was single, she claimed that the father of her child looked like Luke Skywalker"  
The man laughed but stoped himself quickly "sorry, it's not funny, those women were basically raped, but Luke Skywalker? Did she fall for that?"  
"She did, and the most revolting part was" Mulder wasn't laughing "he thought he did nothing wrong, he did those women a favor, the bastard."  
Uncomfortable silence fell and both men took a moment to feel ashamed and disgusted on behalf of their part of the human race "Real monsters walk among us" the young man said, shaking his head.  
"May he rot in jail" Mulder added.  
"I'll drink to that" the guy looked at his beer and set it aside "Jameson, no ice"  
"I think I'll join you for that one"  
Setting two shot glasses between them, Mulder got hit by a strange sense of deja vu and was about to say something, when the door opened and two giggling women appeared.  
"Missy let go, what's the big secret?" Scully protested as Melissa kept walking behind her, hands covering her eyes "I already know about the party"  
"The party's not the surprise" she laughed and Mulder looked at them puzzled.  
"Mulder?" Scully raised her voice turning to him for some explanation, but then Missy uncovered her eyes and the skinny guy at the bar said to them with a huge smile.  
"Surprise!"  
"CHARLIE!" Scully flung herself into the man's arms and he laughed hugging her tight.  
"Hi sis"  
When Mulder saw all three of them together, he realized why the guy looked familiar, he was tall and slim like Melissa and had Scully's deep blue eyes.  
"Charlie Scully" he said shaking his head in disbelief. Scully let go of her brother and leaned over the bar to kiss Mulder hello, broad smile on her face.  
"Hello brother-in-law" Charlie said as he watched them with a smile. 

"Look, quick, the smile is fading! Give this girl more cake or pour her another one!" All three of them sat at the bar, Scully between her siblings, everyone stuffing their faces with chocolate cake, the frosting so smooth it melted in your mouth. Mulder picked only the good stuff.  
"Wow, you and your older brother" he smiled gathering Scully's glass to pour her another G&T "you couldn't be more different if you tried"  
"Bill?" Charlie snorted "he doesn't have a stick up his butt, it's a freaking 50 foot mast"  
"Charlie!" Scully halfheartedly scolded him and Mulder barked out a laugh.  
"What? C'mon Dana, you know he does" he gave her an unapologetic smile and turned back to Mulder "I blame our dad, he was always big on following orders, thought home was a tight ship and should be run like one, but only Bill and Dana would bend to his will. Even mom gave him hell sometimes"  
"I did no such thing" Dana bristled and Missy sighed.  
"Yes you did, the two of you always did as he asked"  
"Who wanted to go to Quantico and be an FBI agent but stayed with medicine because daddy thought it's challenge enough?" Charlie said not knowing about Mulder's past.  
"You wanted to join the FBI?" his jaw hit the floor with a figurative thud.  
"It was an idea, I had many of them, I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do at the time" Scully looked sheepishly at him.  
"Yeah, you just always wanted to play cops and robbers when we were kids"  
Mulder saw her smile fade, for real this time, realizing she didn't like being put on the spot and set his own questions aside.  
"Okay kids, no more ganging up on the Doc." He set the drink before her and kissed her forehead, brushing her cheek with his thumb and making her smile again.  
"Ugh, you guys are awful" Charlie pretended to be disgusted like a kid seeing his parents kiss in the school parking lot.  
"Get used to it" Missy laughed "they're like this the whole time"  
And to prove her right and give Charlie a real reason for rolling his eyes, Mulder kissed his wife like a lover and best friend that she was. 

 

Later that night, when they both laid in bed, she on her front, Mulder stroking her back, he chanced bringing the subject back.  
"You really wanted to join the FBI?"  
"I did, I also wanted to be forensic pathologist and a physicist" she smiled a half smile, glad she did exactly what she did.  
"You would be a great field agent, just saying"  
"How do you know that?" She could discuss this with him, because unlike Charlie he was happy with whatever she did for whatever reason she did it.  
"Because you're thorough and patient and you have an inquisitive mind" he brushed her hair away from her neck and pressed a kiss to the spot behind her ear "and who knows, we might even be partners"  
"We wouldn't be together if we were"  
"Even so, it would be an honor and pleasure" he ghosted each word with a kiss to her cheek and temple, pulling her closer, lips inching back to her ear.  
"And after a few years time" he whispered "we'd make it work anyway"  
Scully turned in his arms and embraced him, their lips barely an inch apart "Even if I knew that, I wouldn't change a day"  
"Neither would I" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kings Of Leon - "Birthday"


	19. In The Summertime

"No, I can't stand it" She jumped up of the couch and fanned herself with the hem of the tee she was wearing. It was one of his, a blue Knicks t-shirt he bought on a whim one night when he was in New York and considered hers since her first night in his bed. It reached almost to her knees, the sleeves almost touching her elbows, she drowned in it, but he loved it "how attached are you to this shirt?"  
"Depends on what you plan to do with it"  
"Let's just say, you're not getting it back" she smiled cutely at him, pulling at the corners of the shirt like a little girl presenting her skirt.  
"What's mine is yours, Doc" she blew him a kiss and his generosity was rewarded with a glimpse of her bare back, as she walked away into the kitchen, no bra. A second later he heard a clunk of kitchen utensils in the junk drawer and curiosity jabbed him in the ass to get up and investigate.  
He found her, scissors in hand and examining the folded shirt laid out on the table like a corpse ready for an autopsy.  
"You know, I could bring you something of yours to change into"  
"Nope" she smiled "I want something of yours but a little more me"  
She smoothed out the creases on the fabric and started cutting away, first went the sleeves, than the bottom half of the shirt and finally she deepened the neckline so it would show more skin.  
"Okay, here goes nothing" she put down the scissors and shook out any remaining threads, then slipped the shirt on and Mulder had to admit the improvement was dramatic. Sexy neckline, shorter sleeves that showed her elegant arms and length that made him want to ask her to hand him something from the top shelve in the kitchen just to see how her pale skin contrasted against the blue fabric.  
"Wow, that's a sight worth twenty bucks I paid for the shirt" he nodded appreciatively and came closer to wrap his arms around her waist. He stood behind her and caressed her hips "and makes things much easier"  
His hands roamed over the plains of her stomach and climbed up making her lean on him, molding herself to fit his body, her backside against his groin, feeling his hot breath on her neck, lips searching. He cupped her breasts and she covered his hands over the fabric and turning her head, pulled his lips to hers "For the both of us".

Scully kicked the comforter and sheets of the bed and without getting up wriggled out of her clothes staying only in underwear. Finally. God damn this heat wave and, God bless the cool sheets beneath her. South east facing windows of the bedroom were a blessing in itself, it was the coolest room in the apartment and she hid there, blinds and windows closet to keep the heat outside. After a few wonderful moments she felt the sheet warm up and rolled over to the foot of the bed, lying on her front this time, melting into the mattress with a happy sigh. All she needed was a little company, but that required getting dressed again and going down to the bar. The dressing part held no appeal at the moment so she stayed where she was.  
It was one of those days she hated living in the city and wished she agreed to buy that house Mulder wanted, where there would be just the wind and the two of them for miles. Where she could have a flower patch and a hammock or at least a deck chair and ice tea or cool G&T, with just a hint of G and a lot of ice, and ice cream, or slices of watermelon straight from the fridge to share with Mulder and lick the sweet juice of each other's lips. Yes, that would be an acceptable way of spending this hot evening.  
She rolled over again onto her back and giggled. 

The beauty of the basement was in it's insulation from the heat outside. He practically didn't need the AC, except for those extreme days when DC heat jumped over 100 degrees. His ice machine was working full time to meet the demand for rum and coke and ice, gin and tonic and ice, and his personal favorite, club soda with a thin slice of lime and lots of ice!  
Sometime after dark, they opened the door and the sounds of the bar spilled out onto the street, letting the music out and the evening air in. Mulder began to feel lonely, Scully hasn't come down to the bar in a while, busy with writing some article, the title of which was so long and complex he stoped trying to understand it and started nodding letting himself be slightly turned on by her competence. He considered calling the apartment to ask her to take a break and come down, but before he had a chance, she came in, as if she heard him.  
Her high heeled sandals made her hips sway gently, the straps emphasizing her slender ankles morphing into a pair of shapely calfs and thighs, now full on display in denim shorts and his t-shirt remade into a loose fitting crop top that fell of one shoulder. She pinned her hair up and away from her neck, a few strands escaping the twist and framing her face in a way that made him think of shared showers and their first date. By the time Scully sat down at the bar and crossed her legs, leaning on the edge with arms folded in front of her which did magical things to her cleavage, his heart was racing from rational to animal.  
"Good evening Ma'am, what will it be? Coke? Beer? Seline IV?"  
"Something sweet" she replied in a voice so deep he could drown in it.  
Mulder reached into the fridge for a cold coke and couldn't stop himself from steeling glances down her shirt, like a teenager checking out a girl four times out of his league.  
Joe Cocker sang in the background that the world was different at night. Around lunch, when she wore sensible heels, knee length skirts and wrap around silk tops, you wouldn't believe there's a sexy pinup in fuck-me pumps somewhere inside her and he loved that, he loved them both, he loved and desired her whole.  
"What were you doing upstairs?" He asked as the cap on the bottle popped with a happy sigh of escaping gas, it was the sound of summer in his life.  
She took a sip straight from the bottle and crooked one finger for him to come closer so she could whisper her secret into his ear.  
"I stripped and rolled around in bed wearing nothing by my underwear"  
"And I missed that?" Mulder pouted and she smiled at her sweet silly man.  
"Don't worry, you'll catch the next performance" she teased running one finger down his cheek "and maybe we could up the rating somehow"  
Her finger reached the corner of his mouth and he tried to catch it between his teeth, but her reflexes were too quick for him. "You're wicked"  
She looked around the place, no one but them and the Gunmen at the far end of the bar "Slow night?"  
"Take your coke and come with me"  
He turned up the volume on the stereo a little, making Mungo Jerry spill out onto the street and rounded the bar. They met at the end and Mulder pulled her in with one arm around her waist making her grab his shoulder with her free hand for balance, God bless killer heels "Care to dance?"  
He held her close, his eyes never leaving hers as they swayed unnoticed near the doorway in a small circle, hips grinding in some strange rhythm that fit the music and their goofy grins.  
"This won't keep me cool" she smiled rocking her hips with his, her heels saving her from being completely awkward.  
"That's why we're doing it here" His hand slipped under the edge of her tee, fingers splayed over bare skin making her smile at his efforts and wrap her arms around his neck, the cold bottle in her hand sent a shiver down his spine.  
"What would my husband say?" She teased pressing her breasts into his chest  
"Nothing, he'd probably kill me on the spot for taking such liberties" his hand slipped lower, where her hips swelled and back curved into ass.  
"I think he's around here somewhere" she teased tugging at his earlobe with her teeth.  
"We better hide then" he whispered turning and leading them out the door, and once out of sight of the guys at the bar, he pressed her against the wall and kissed her until they both were breathless.  
The scent of her and hot summer night was intoxicating, sweet and heavy like straight rum, no ice. She moaned into his mouth and with one foot on a step pulled herself higher, gaining that five precious inches that made all the difference between them and made him chase after her. Fingers of her free hand twined in his hair, the apron between them a slight annoyance, but not stoping her entirely from grinding down on his thigh as he held her up.  
"Slow down" he gasped breaking the kiss and she giggled, felling him hard and impatient in contrast to his words. Her lips were swollen and she licked them devilishly grinding agains him again  
"Later" he promised with a brush of his lips and let go of her to sit down on the steps.  
The cool air was much nicer here than inside and she followed, sitting one step below, between his thighs, her back to his front, one elbow resting on his knee as she sipped her coke still cool despite the heat between them just a moment ago. They cooled down in silence, just rocking gently together as Otis Redding spoke words that were as true and soft as the night around them, _just as long as you stand by me_. He dropped kisses on her bare shoulder holding her and humming gently in her ear as she sank into his embrace, perfectly happy to enjoy the evening air with him.  
"Let's go somewhere for the weekend?" Mulder suggested.  
"Like where?"  
"I don't know, Bermuda Triangle?" She huffed out a laugh,  
"Chasing ghost ships?" She played with his hand twining and untwining her fingers with his "Mulder, do you have a ghost story for every season of the year?"  
"I don't know, never thought about it this way" there was a smile in his voice  
"Right now all I'm missing is spring"  
"Maybe ghosts don't like spring? The time of rebirth and all" he closed his fingers around hers keeping their hands together and took the bottle from her, taking a sip.  
"Maybe, where would you like to go?"  
"Florida?" He chanced hoping she'd agree.  
"Admit it, you just want to rub sun lotion all over me in public"  
"I'll admit I like taking care of you and I don't want you get sunburned" he chuckled kissing the freckles on her shoulder again.  
Langly peeked from around the door, beer in hand and called back to the others "here they are"  
"Help yourself to whatever you want" Mulder said waving him away, unwilling to move from the spot that offered him a great view of Scully's stretched out legs.  
"Nah, not that, pizza, yes or no?"  
"Are we ordering or changing venue?" Scully asked  
"Hmm" Mulder stirred behind her "have you been to heaven?"  
"Is that a trick question?" She smiled looking at him over her shoulder from under her lashes, Langly snorted. "because if so, the answer is yes"  
"Not like that" he smiled and said to Langly "Order it here, get one extra, we'll show her upstairs"  
"She's never been upstairs?"  
"What's upstairs?"  
"Competition" Mulder kissed the tip of her nose "You'll see" 

They took the elevator to the top floor surrounded by the scent of pizza, clank of beer bottles and laughter.  
"She was insane" Langly chortled.  
"I'd pay good money to see that" Fohike mused as the exited the elevator.  
"Yuck" Scully shuddered "type with her tongue? That's gross"  
"Stop it, before she loses her appetite" Mulder pushed the door to the roof open and gathered Scully into his side "Welcome to Heaven"  
They stepped forward and she saw a kind of outdoor lounge, a couple of couches, some garden chairs, two tables, a few miniature trees in large pots and what looked like a mile of twinkle lights hanging above them like a canopy of stars. It took her breath away. It was quieter here than at street level, and the breeze was cooler, most of the heat radiating from the roof under her feet. Mulder guided her to one of the sofas and she noticed a man sleeping on one in the far corner of the space. Mulder went to him and kicked the edge of the sofa,  
"Alex, wake up"  
"Fuck off Mulder, what do you want"  
"I want you to meet someone"  
"Get lost" he turned his back to Mulder, covering his eyes with his forearm.  
"Mulder?" Scully came closer and the guy froze.  
"Scully, meet Alex Krycek, he put this place together" Alex looked at her over his shoulder and finally sat up.  
"So this is your wife" He got up when she reached out to shake his hand, but instead of taking it, he gently grasped her fingers and bent down to kiss her knuckles, his expression changing from hostile to polite in seconds, it felt weird "Pleasure to meet you Mrs. Mulder"  
Scully glanced to Mulder for explanation but he only shrugged "He's half Russian"  
"On my mother's side" he straightened back up and smiled at her and looked at the rest of the party "Cowardly Lion, Scare Crow and Toto"  
"What's up weasel face" Langly opened the first box and all of them felt instantly hungry.

An hour later they sat around one of the tables, pizza a fond memory, all of Mulder's beer gone, present round was on Krycek. Stacks of chips laid on the table, some bigger, some smaller, some gone.  
"So what do you do Alex" Scully asked examining the cards in hand  
"Import, export, petty theft" he said and she wasn't sure which part was a joke.  
"He imports vodka from Europe" Mulder explained "I get a good price because we're neighbors" he smiled a wolfish smile "Smile Alex, I'll match your 10, and rise you another 10"  
"Fold" Frohike said.  
"I'm in" Scully added her chips to the stack  
"Me too" Byers was holding his cards face down on the table, his chips joined the pot, Langly straddled his chair, arms folded on the back of it, watching the game.  
"And why didn't I meet you, we've been living here for almost a year now"  
"I've been abroad, business kept me in St. Petersburg a while longer than expected"  
"A tall, blonde business" Muder snickered "How's miss M, Alex?"  
"Curiosity killed the cat, raise to 50" Mulder took a good look at the guy sitting opposite him keeping his face guarded behind a mask of goofiness and trying to read what Alex had that made him so bold.  
"Come on, you were head over heels in love before you left in November" Mulder turned to Scully. "He built this place to impress her"  
"Yeah, look what it got me" his tone turned sour, Scully examined her cards then her chips and then the man.  
"You know what they say" Mulder played with one of his chips, twirling it around his fingers  
"No, what do they say" Alex kept his eyes on his cards  
"Lucky in cards, unlucky in love" Mulder winked at Scully and leaned back putting his cards away face down "fold"  
"I'm in" Scully dropped five plastic coins on the pile and shivered slightly. Mulder noticed and reached to a nearby couch for a blanket. He moved his chair closer to hers and draped the blanket around her shoulders letting her pull it tighter around herself and resting one arm around her just in case. Scully touched her lips to his cheek in a silent thank you.  
"You're not helping her" Alex jabbed a finger in Mulder's direction.  
"You think she'd let me?" His tone was sarcastic but the kiss he pressed to her temple was as sweet as always "I'd take luck in love over cards anytime"  
"Byers, what do you say?"  
"Fold" a defeated sigh was all he could manage, it was past one in the morning  
"So, It's you and me Doctor"  
"Looks like it" her face didn't change for a moment, she looked relaxed and calm, snuggled under Mulder's arm, her head resting on his shoulder.  
"Are you still cold?" Mulder asked her brushing his lips on her temple  
"I'm fine" she smiled  
"How do people stand being around you guys?" He dropped his chips on the pile and took a swig of beer, tasting like the exact opposite of the cuteness before him "I think I'll need a dental checkup after a night with you two"  
"We're not like this all the time" she took a good look at her pile and back at Alex "hmmm, all in"  
Alexs's eyes widened and Mulder explained making her giggle "yeah, sometimes we sleep"  
"It's even worse then" she smiled pushing her chips to the middle of the table "but you'll have to take my word for it"  
"Little baby cats, right Honeybunch?"  
"Later Poopyhead" she pushed his face away from her neck, give Mulder a finger in a moment like this and be sure he'll want the whole hand. "Well, Alex?"  
"Let the man think, he's about to lose to a girl"  
"Ok, what the hell, I'll match you, show me what you got"  
She had a full house, he only a straight. They had the roof for themselves for the next week. 

"I never thought you had such a great poker face" he panted between words watching her as she straddled his lap, going up and down in deliberate motions, as he met her somewhere in the middle. Her pleasure was written all over her face, lips parted, head thrown back slightly, the ends of her hair brushing her shoulders. Her ran one finger down her throat and she shivered curling herself back around him, still rolling her hips, lips searching for his, tongues brushing each other as he kneaded her breast, her nipple hard under the palm of his hand.  
"I do" she panted "you're the first one" she gasped as he pressed his thumb on her clit, moving faster "who's surprised"  
He leaned back and held on to her with one arm, the other balancing them, as she rode him, the change in angle made her whimpers come faster and louder "Like this, don't stop"  
He thrust into her, speechless, as with each trust down she grew tighter and he had to fight to keep his eyes open, to watch her as she came undone. Skin slick with clean sweat under his arm, the wet sound of their bodies meeting and the taste of her fingers in his mouth and sight of those fingers circling her clit, all senses, the very definition of sensuality writhing in his arms.  
Mulder pulled her hips close as she slid down, her hand got trapped between them, pressed hard against her clit, and in few short thrust she came, the force of it sending him over the edge with her.  
She rode it out with the rest of her strength, fell forward into his arms and he pulled them down, onto cool, clean sheets. Her eyes were closed but her content smile told him all he needed to know.  
He brushed the hair away from her face to kiss her and Scully's arms went around him, prolonging the moment, she made love to him and held him, and after a moment finally gathered enough of her wits to speak.  
"I never even tried to hide anything from you, that's why you didn't know it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mungo Jerry - "In The Summer Time"  
> Otis Redding - "Stand By Me"


	20. Summer's End

Water took her in, drowning out the sound as it did. In three strokes of her arms she emerged and pushed forward, marshaling her body, timing each breath, inhale, stroke, stroke, stroke, inhale, until her muscles burned, heart raced working to meet their the demand for oxygen. The water opened and closed around her in a smooth caress over her body. This wasn't the ocean, she didn't need to fight the waves, the smell of chlorine was faint as the front desk clerk promised, the pool was just renovated, the water fresh.  
She reached the end, diving and turning around, her arms and legs working hard, pushing herself to feel every muscle she forgot she had. Inhale, stroke, stroke, stroke, inhale. The world around was a disjointed mess, a jumble of sounds and light reflexes, a stroboscope of glaring white sun and blue depths.  
He knelt on the edge of the pool as she grabbed it, keeping herself above the water on the deep end.  
"Don't stop on my account" he said smiling and sitting down with his feet in the pool "I'll time you"  
"How about you race me instead?"  
She lost in the end, no match for his longer and stronger limbs, but it still made her happy because he didn't hold back. 

The path took them deep into the forest behind Melissa's house. They walked hand in hand watching the slowly setting sun shimmer through green canopy of leaves, finally giving up on trying to roast them alive. Scully knew these woods, here she spent a large chunk of her childhood playing hide and seek with her siblings and friends. This was their domain, full of hideouts and children's secrets.  
"I kissed a boy for the first time behind that tree" she said pointing to a maple so large, it would take the length of both of their arms to wrap around it's girth.  
"A beautiful old tree, probably has a few secrets of it's own" Mulder said brushing the bark with tips of his fingers as they passed.  
"Dad taught us how to shoot in these woods, and how not to get lost, there is a stream not far from here too"  
"I could live in a place like this" he said, picking a twig from the ground "but at the same time, I have no idea what I would do with myself"  
She squeezed his hand and stepped over a rock holding on for balance "I'd miss The Believer and I still have my work there too, seems we both have"  
"Yeah"  
"We can have a dream you know, we don't need to have everything right away"  
"There is something about owning a piece of land" he mused "not necessarily for farming, simply to walk through the gate and know that this is my place on earth, the place I and my people belong to. I loved my childhood home, and up until Samantha disappeared I felt like it was the safest place in the world, nothing could touch me there"  
"What do you mean?"  
"This place, these woods, Melissa's home, it feels the same" he circled her waist with his arm and pulled her closer "it feels like someone loves this place."  
"You don't feel like this in DC?" She couldn't hide a note of hurt in her voice  
"I do, but it's more about you" his lips brushed her temple and she leaned into his side "I know you'll be there, you'll come home and it will feel like being here, calm"  
"So what's the difference?"  
"We could have each other and this" he smiled "we just need to figure out the life part"  
"The life part usually works itself out, it just takes some adjusting" she moved her hand from his side to the back pocket of his jeans "you could write, open a diner"  
"Or a bar" he laughed.  
"You can do whatever you like as long as there's a place for me in there somewhere"  
Mulder squeezed her shoulder and leaned in to whispered in her ear "You've got it all backwards"  
They reached the stream she spoke of, water rushing over stones with a happy hum was crystal clear and cold as ice. Scully let go and leaned down to wash her hands and enjoy it's cool rush.  
"Where does it lead?" Mulder asked looking around, it was getting late and they didn't bring any flashlights.  
"It goes for about a mile in a wide arch brushing past the neighborhood and then goes underground to feed the pond in the park"  
"Let's follow it back"  
As it got dark, the woods came alive with sounds of night birds, crickets and frogs. The lights of the town flicked on in the distance like a beacon guiding them home, and they walked through the forest instinctively pulled towards each other. As if they trained themselves to reach for the other in the dark, to feel a little safer, a little less alone in the vast darkness that surrounded them.  
Missy greeted them on her front porch, beers in hand, just where they left her.  
"Where's Ethan?" Scully asked as she took one bottle and sat on the steps. Crickets and dogs and late night talkshows creating the sound of summer she remembered. Some things never changed.  
"He's putting Emily to bed"  
"I admire him" Mulder said sitting behind Scully and finding the ashtray he left by the railing emptied now but with the bag of seeds still there "being a single dad with a little girl and his own business, that takes guts" he cracked a seed between his teeth and the shell went into the ashtray  
"She's so sweet" Scully smiled snuggling into his warm arms "Right Mr Potato Head?"  
"A sweet little angel" he turned to Missy "What was this one like when she was little"  
"Smaller" 

The next day they all took Emily to the carnival. She was giddy with excitement, asking questions what she could expect once they got there, where there real live animals, or clowns and magicians.  
Emily took everything in with courage and child's wonder, everything was interesting and new and prompted a million questions, which they took turns answering. She was too little for a pony but a ride in a tea cup made her laugh and bounce and squeal with delight and each laugh made them love her a little more.  
All sticky with cotton candy, clutching hard at the string of her helium filled ballon, Emily was fascinated by the way it lived it's own shining life, dancing with the wind. The world looked amazing from high above as she got a piggyback ride from Mulder, and wherever she wanted to go, he took her.  
"Aunt Dana you're so small" she laughed bouncing slightly on his shoulders.  
"Emily sit still" Ethan admonished her, but was glad that for once he wasn't the one to carry her around, and held Missy's hand instead.  
"It's okay, I've got her" Mulder smiled and held on to her ankles to keep her from bruising him with her small feet.  
"I am honey" Scully smiled eating popcorn "And you are so tall, think you'll be this tall when you grow up"  
"Aha" she nodded "I will be so tall I will reach the sun"  
Mulder chuckled "Sure you will"  
They waited in line for hot dogs when Mulder spotted a tent little off to the side from the main attractions. The poster promised 'astounding acts of body manipulation and pain endurance'  
He nudged Scully and nodded in that direction "Wanna check it out?"  
"I don't know" she said reading the sign.  
"Come on, it'll be fun, and as a doctor, it should be interesting for you"  
"Go on, we'll meet you guys later" Missy said. "Come on Em, time to come back to Earth"  
Mulder reached behind his head lifting her off his shoulders and set her on the ground, back on her own two feet.  
Emily's smile faded a little when they went away but soon she saw a low chainlink fence and a littler of baby bunnies hopping around to gathered children's delight. She pulled Missy in that direction and wanting or not, Ethan followed, once again realizing how different Emily was around her and how much he loved to see his daughter so happy again. 

They watched the show and left 'Doctor Blockhead's and Conundrum's' tent, a little shocked, a little green and lot more than a little sceptic.  
"Well it did prove the man has wast knowledge of human anatomy"  
"You don't believe in mind over mater Doc?"  
"I do, but this looks more like cheap tricks, rubber blades and nails and chains with weak links"  
"The restraining jacket thing looked quite impressive"    
"I guess, if you look at it from law enforcement's perspective" she smiled  
"The Conundrum was what intrigued me more" she linked her arm through his as he talked "where does he put all that stuff?"  
"I don't know, but I wouldn't want to be him when it comes out" she joked and Muder almost choked laughing "What was the most daring thing you've eaten?"  
"Apart from Langly's chili?" No one really knew what Langly put in his chili, but once he tasted it, he decided that sometimes it's best not to ask too many questions and just enjoy the ride.  
"Apart from that" she agreed.  
"Ice cream and Jell-o"  
"What? That doesn't sound so bad"  
"Maybe not, but there was something about the consistency that made me wanna throw up" that made her laugh this time "what?"  
"Nothing, I just thought you'll say grilled buffalo testicles or something like that"  
"I'm not that adventurous in the kitchen, but for the record, I did have those and they weren't as bad as you might think" they passed a sweet smelling stand with roasted nuts, the scent of caramel made her mouth water "how about you"  
"I'm not sure I can tell you now"  
"Come on"  
"Well, I wanted to say fried crickets, but now I think Fugu Sashimi might take the first prize"  
"How, when? And with whom?" Mulder was speechless and a little terrified.  
"Wow, monosyllabic questions, that really got you thinking"  
"Yeah, was it a dare? And a question, do you pay before or after you have dinner?" She snorted  
"I haven't paid for all of it, you do a lot of weird things in med school, we went with a few friends to dinner and someone saw it on the menu and one thing lead to the next and that was it, as you can see, we all lived to tell the tale"  
"How was it?"  
"It tasted like fish, I guess the thrill was the main course for the evening" she pulled him towards the concession stands "Come on, now you made me hungry"  
"What will it be tonight? Glass? Iron nails?" He teased.  
"Hotdogs Mulder, plain all American hotdogs"  
"Okay, but later there's one more thing I want to see"  
"What?" She picked a stand with the longest line and stoped him pulling at his arm.  
"I saw a funhouse back there too, you're going with me"  
"What, are you too scared to go in alone?"  
"Where's the fun in that and yes, I'll need you to hold my hand"  
"Did you pick up girls on that line as a teen?"  
"I was the spook in my teens, girls needed someone to hold their hand when they saw me" he chuckled  
"So I get a Brave Girl Scout Badge?"  
"You got the main prize!"  
"And what is that" she smiled a sweet smile, one he loved to see on her face.  
"Me" he teased and leaned down to kiss her lips.

 

"Missy" Dana took a rinsed plate from her to dry "I'm off the pill"  
Melissa was surprised for a moment to hear a confession like this, but thought there must be a good reason for it.  
"How long?" she asked quietly, so that Mulder and Ethan couldn't hear them from the living room. Something in her sister's voice, a hesitation maybe, gave Missy the impression there's noting to be happy about, not yet at least.  
"A few weeks" suddenly she realized what it meant but still kept her eyes on the plate she was cleaning.  
"You haven't told Mulder, have you" Dana never liked keeping secrets and apparently she needed to tell someone.  
"You know how he gets" she sighed but then giggled quietly "he probably wouldn't want to leave the bed until we'd get that test positive"  
"Yeah, I can imagine that" that little laugh reassured Melissa that it wasn't a health issue at least "but, I thought you wanted to wait"  
"I realized that it was the crazy moves that made me the happiest so far, so I stoped thinking so much about how and when"  
"I'm happy for you" the last plate was dried and put away "but you're not" Missy hung her voice waiting for an answer. She had to ask, just to make sure, because the suspense would kill her, and in that moment she understood Dana's reasons to keep this from Mulder.  
"No, not yet, it'll happen, when it happens"  
They both looked back into the living room where Mulder bounced Emily on his knee, ignoring the game he and Ethan were supposed to be watching. She tried to grab his nose but failed each time he ducked his head and tickled her tummy making her giggle and hug her new uncle.

 

A short trip to the bathroom was all it took for Mulder to take up most of the bed. He slept on his front, peaceful and relaxed, hugging the pillow as his legs invaded her side.  
In the predawn light outside their window she climbed back in and curled around him with her head between his bare shoulder blades and waited for sleep to take her back.  
This was her and Missy's room when they were kids, now converted into a guest bedroom with a large bed, white dresser and a mirror in the corner. It smelled like fresh linens, her youth and her man. It was September and nights were starting to get cold, but even in her short silk night shirt she didn't notice, he was the best source of warmth in her life.  
Mulder stirred mumbling something that sounded like her name and she stroked his hair, shifting closer, hooking one leg around his, instinctively giving the reassurance he craved. He fell back asleep, his even breath and measured heartbeat lulled her.  
The house was quiet, in a room at the end of the hall, a little red haired girl curled up on one side and sighed in her sleep "Mama"  
Melissa stroked her head gently and kissed her forehead as Emily slept, dreaming about little bunnies eating carrots from her hand. 

 

The wood paneled floor of their living room was cool. Scully sat in the middle of the room, one leg curled under her, the other bent at the knee, leaning forward with her arms outstretched. A foam comb pushed between her toes prevented them from smearing the carefully applied nail polish, pearly white, very subtle. The unseasonable heat kept the city in it's firm grip and they kept the blinds drawn ever since the sun peeked inside around eleven in the morning. They lived like two vampires, going out only at night, unless it was for work. The large fan stood a couple of feet to the side from where she sat, hair pulled to one side to keep them from dancing around. She was growing them out ever so slightly, just a little below her shoulder.  
Focusing on each stroke of the small brush in her hand, and lazy jazz flowing from the stereo she missed his quiet footsteps, right until he folded himself behind her. Arms carefully sneaking around her waist, cheek resting between her shoulder blades, his one leg curled under her, the other bent at the knee next to hers. His lips brushed her shoulder but there was no demand in it, a greeting as he held her without expectations.  
The yoga of woman's beauty rituals was something he admired but could never understand. All he understood was that her strapless top exposed the elegant curve of her shoulders and neck and he needed to feel that after the dream he just woke up from. She hummed a question which he heard deep inside her chest and answered by kissing her skin lightly again.  
She was all he needed right now, all he wanted and everything he had, but that dream, he tried not to believe it, he tried to tell himself that it was just that, a dream, nothing more. A memory twisted and jumbled from the weekend they spent at Missy's and his time with little Emily. He didn't have a son who wanted to build sand castles with him. And yet, it felt so real, she felt as real as right now, in this waking moment, vibrant and beautiful with her wind blown hair, walking barefoot towards them, the waves licking her feet and the hem of her long flowing dress. Mulder liked dreams that had water in them, they were always good omens if one was inclined to believe them.  
Scully shifted, switching legs, and he followed. The fan blew away the dream, leaving only her and a subtle smell of nail polish.  
"How are you feeling?" He asked quietly, nuzzling her skin, she felt sick the whole morning.  
"Better"  
"Should I be worried?"  
"No" there was a hint of a smile in her voice  
Mulder's splayed his fingers over her abdomen and kissed her neck then rested his cheek on her shoulder  
"Can I hope?"  
She didn't answer, only covered his hand with hers and held it there, asking herself the same silent questions, again and again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Foo Fighters - "Summer's End"  
> Pete La Roca - "Lazy Afternoon"


	21. Don't Look Back In Anger

The day she came down the few steps to the bar, walked up to him behind the counter, took his face in her hands pulling him down and whispered against his lips "I'm pregnant" set a new benchmark for happiness in his life, the moment the love of his life told him he's going to be a father.  
He kissed her fiercely lifting her off the ground, spinning her around and it must have been some kind of miracle that he didn't break anything in the process. He didn't know what he was doing but somehow he set her down and fell to his knees, pressing his face against her abdomen, arms wrapped tight around her waist. Her hand rested on his head when he didn't even try to hide the tears that found a way to run down his cheeks. He didn't care it was 5pm, The Believer packed with people, everyone staring at them.  
Happy Hour, the happiest of hours for as long as he could remember. Happy as their first kiss, first night together, first morning, all of them put together were getting him ready to feel this, sharing this with her. And now, they will have a child, a little human to share the love with, to love and be loved, as long as they both shall live. 

"Scully" she laid in his arms, feeling him pressed against her back, his every breath rocking her gently "You know when?"  
She covered his palm with her hand, together resting against her abdomen "When I'm due? I told you, late May"  
"No" he smiled against her skin, playfully biting her shoulder "when we did it"  
"Oh" her backside shifted against his hips "I haven't thought about it"  
"Late May" he mused in her ear, his hand sliding from under hers and moving up her thigh "that means sometime in September"  
"Sounds about right, there's a lot to chose from" the back of his hand brushed against the inside of her thigh, what a tease that hand was.  
"That night we watched Shining?"  
"That's probably the least baby making movie in history of human kind" she guided his hand where she wanted him, determined, growing first hot then wet with arousal, sensitive and responsive to the smallest touch.  
"You wanted to watch it" his fingers were persuasive as he grew hard from her squirming against his thighs "Next time I want to watch you" he breathed.  
"Why?" Scully shifted opening herself to him, inviting the release.  
"Because you're so sexy when you're in control" his scratchy chin grazed her shoulder and he ran the tip of his tongue against her ear, slowly, from earlobe to tip and back, biting down at the end. His breath came hot against her cheek.  
"Keep talking" she encouraged closing her eyes as he aligned her hips and sheathed himself inside her impossibly wet center. The sensation was exquisite, her body was changing and he felt even better than before.  
"You get that" he pulled back slowly as he spoke and rammed into her, hard, hitting a spot inside that made her gasp "crease on your forehead"  
He pushed again, steadying her by holding on to her hip. His lips at her ear were a soft hot whisper "the way your tits bounce" he impaled her again "I love the weight of them" and again, "in my hands" The moan was unmistakable she was getting there fast.  
Mulder changed pace to a slowly building rhythm and splayed his hand over her side, the overheated skin slick as he moved up to cup her breast.  
"Gently" she warned, but there was no need, he gave her a firm squeeze, the light sting hidden in pleasure built her up more than a pinch or a bite to her nipple could ever do, but then again her breasts were never as sensitive as now. Sometimes she thought a mere lick of his tongue might make her come, but she was still to test that theory, and the thought of it fueled her as much as his thrusts.  
"I like to watch as you touch yourself" he talked and moved faster and she knew he was holding back, talking about what he liked while doing it, the fact it turned her on and acceptance it implied usually did it for him. The air was heavy with their combined scent, a heady mix of aroused bodies "touch yourself" he growled, panting holding on to her.  
She flexed her muscles around him and a small whimper broke through his concentration. She did it again, and Mulder sucked in a breath, forcing himself to keep the pace.  
"If I touch myself now I'll come" she whispered reaching and squeezing his ass in the palm of her hand as he played with her breasts, she felt like an exposed live wire. "You feel so good"  
"Do it" he licked her neck and she meet him on the upthrust, deepening his strokes, she needed him to be there when she did.  
"Will you?" She squeezed him again and he cursed in her ear, low and sexy, she could imagine his own focused expression "say it"  
He breathed "don't make me beg"  
She arched her back, found her clit with just a tip of her finger and with a few strokes she exploded taking him with her, his warmth flooding her insides as he slumped around her, pressing her into the mattress, riding out the orgasm with her.  
"Mulder" before her heart calmed in her ribcage and blood stoped rushing through her veins she turned around and found his lips "I love you"  
"We're having a baby Doc" his voice was brimming with wonder.  
"We are" she agreed and kissed him again "and I don't think it was that night"  
"No?" There is a smile in that sleepy monotone  
"That afternoon when we came back from the beach" she pushed him to lay on his back and half climbed on top of him "those two days before we went to Missy's"  
She watched his face in the dimness of their bedroom, wondering what parts of him will the baby inherit "I couldn't stop thinking about it, seeing you in the sun, wet after swimming and the way other women watched you and I how I knew you're mine" she mused cupping his cheek.  
"Apparently it was time" he pulled the sheets over them and she rested her head on his chest. They fell asleep, wandering through land of memories and dreams.

Mulder rushed up the stairs two steps at a time, his stride long and energized after early morning run. Scully was already gone, but she left a couple of sandwiches for him on the kitchen counter. He smiled at the gesture but took a detour to the office first. Finding a legal pad and something to write between the papers covering their desk he wrote down.  
_"I need you to understand what you're saying"_  
_"You said it yourself"_  
_"Yes, but you will have to put it in your report"_  
He dropped the pencil and went to take a quick shower. He ate his breakfast and got to work while the coffee was still warm.

"Why do you have to be so irresistibly perfect?" Mulder tried to memorize her features with kisses, just in case he might one day need to identify her with only his lips. In this bizarre world, who knew, it might happen.  
"I thought perfection was annoying."  
"Not in you, in you it's irresistible" she half laughed half sighed playfully pushing his face away in a get-out kind of gesture "I look at you and every day I want to be better"  
He nuzzled her shoulder and ran the tip of his nose up her throat, following her pulse "We both know I'm an ass sometimes"  
"I'm sorry about your files" she kissed his cheek again wondering for a moment what made him so angry.  
"I shouldn't get mad"  
"I was looking for my phone bill and..." his lips covered hers stoping her from explaining again how his desk, which he left in a state of creative disarray, got meticulously ordered and alphabetized and put away in drawers unknown and unfit for his purposes. "Don't worry about it, if you didn't throw anything away it'll be fine"  
"I didn't" she assured him.  
"And don't look for that bill, I already paid it when I went to the bank"  
"When?"  
"Monday morning"  
"Wait" she pushed on his shoulder making him look her in the face "you've been at the bank on Monday?"  
"Yeah" the tone of his voice said he slipped something that he didn't want her to know.  
"At our usual branch?" He nodded and she wrapped her arms around his neck, clutching at his shoulders with something akin to panicked desperation, he could only hug her back.  
"I was there an hour before it happened" he whispered into the hollow under her ear ashamed of being caught on a lie "I didn't want to upset you"  
"Mulder, I'm pregnant but I'm still me, I need to know these things"  
"I'm sorry" he said pressing his lips against her skin "it was a big day for you, and nothing happened to me, I wasn't even there"  
"I need to know you're safe" her voice broke on last words and he kissed the tear rolling down her cheek "I need you, more than ever"  
"I know, I'm not going anywhere, we're all safe" he went back to peppering her face with kisses and his hand slipped down her side to caress her abdomen, still flat but not for long now, the little life already growing inside her. His hand traveled farther south, dipped between her thighs and gradually made her forget about why they had a fight and refocused them both on here and now and the heat building between them. 

"I love your feet"  
"Enjoy them" Scully wiggled her toes feeling him dig his thumbs into the soles of her feet "soon they will look like sausages"  
"Don't care" he smiled kissing her toes "I'll still love them"  
"I will look like a tanker truck by the end of it"  
"It's only natural" a little smile played around his lips "why do you think I will look at you differently just because your body's changing"  
"I don't know, I like the way I look and maybe I'm a little"  
"Insecure? No way"  
"Why? I like the way you look at me now" she lowered her gaze "and on a medical level I know these changes happen and are not permanent, but as a woman"  
"Scully" he shifted her legs to his lap and scooted closer, gathering her in his arms "the way I look at you it's more like because of the sum of parts"  
"You just say that"  
"I mean it" he pressed his face into the side of her neck "If I'd go blind tonight, I'd still love you all the same"  
"And you'd have an excuse to touch me more" his lips in the hollow under her jaw made her smile  
"I don't need an excuse to do that" a hand traveled down her side, hip all the way to her foot.  
"Okay, I had my self-pitying moment" she freed herself from his embrace, got up and headed for the kitchen "You want tea?"  
"Sure" he sighed and leaned back on the couch.  
"Mom called" he heard the kettle fill with water "She wants us for Thanksgiving" that made him follow after her.  
"Missy and Ethan are coming" she set two mugs on the counter "they'll bring Emily with them" the tags dangled from the brim of each cup, green peach for her, earl gray for him "And Charlie's coming too"  
"Wow, that's something to be grateful for in itself"  
"Yeah, but don't get used to it, he comes like once every four years"  
"Like dog years"  
"Something like that" she chuckled but her face fell quickly "Bill's coming"  
"Bring it on" he pulled her in the circle on his arm, he was clingy, they both knew that "I'm not afraid of him anymore"  
"Maybe he's afraid of you?"  
"Why would he?"  
"Because you're here, and he's in California" she played with the drawstring of his hoodie "for all intents and purposes that's half way around the world and if anything happened, mom would call us, not him"  
"I endanger his status?" He never bothered to think about Bill that way, his profiler skills seemed to get rusty.  
"As the head of the family, yes" there was a glint of pride in her eye as she said it "Mom said, we should invite your mom as well"  
"Oh, good luck with that"  
"Have you told her?" There was an uncomfortable pause on his side "Are you kidding me?"  
"She didn't call for my birthday" his tone was defensive but the honest truth was he never got around to doing it, wary of her reaction which, between their elopement and their general estrangement, had fifty-fifty chance of killing his happy mood by reminding them both of all she lost. His mother could be really negative about things, especially when they concerned him.  
"You're such a baby"  
"I thought I'm the head of the family"  
"You will be" she reached for the phone hanging on the wall beside them "if you call her right now"  
"I" he hesitated  
"You what"  
"I don't want to do it over the phone" he didn't relish the idea but knew that the only way to do it was in prson.  
"Okay" she stepped back and he let her go, already feeling punished somehow "Where are you going"  
"We still have the number for that inn we stayed at the last time?"  
"Yeah, the black book in the office" the kettle started to scream for his attention and a faint smile flashed across his face. _Scream for attention_ , best to start getting used to it. He poured water over the teabags, stirred a spoonful of honey into hers, took the mugs and followed her to the office.  
"Have you found it?" He asked opening the door, but instead of finding Scully on the phone with the hotel, he saw her paging through his notebook. The black leather covers looked almost as his address book, an honest mistake she was bound to make but still made him stop dead in his tracks.  
"Mulder, what is this?"  
"Nothing" he shook the embarrassment off and stepped inside, left the mugs on the coffee table and reached to take the book out of her hands. Scully pressed it protectively against her chest.  
"Doesn't look like nothing" her face lit up with a smile "looks like something"  
"Maybe, someday" he grabbed the chair to keep her from swirling it away from him and tried again, but she held on "give it back"  
"Tell me what it's about"  
"I'm not sure yet myself"  
"Please" she surrendered the closed book without trying to read it against his will. Scully was impressed, she read his articles but never thought he'd try his hand at something more substantial.  
"It's just an idea right now" he sat on the couch and flipped through the pages "something to keep myself busy when you're not around and I don't have to be at the bar"  
"Is that why you got so angry with me the other day?"  
"I didn't want you to see this" he set the book aside and patted the couch next to him "not yet at least"  
"When did you start writing?"  
"A few months back, just fooling around with some ideas" she sat next to him moving the notebook to he coffee table, still without opening it "it must be something in the walls of this place"  
"How?"  
"Remember the previous owner of this apartment" she nodded "I read his book and it was terrible"  
"It was" there was a slight giggle in her voice as she laid back, her feet back in his lap.  
"It felt like he did a disservice to the people he wrote about, not to mention abused his wonderful main character" she pointed to the blanket on his side of the couch and he unfolded it, covering them both, November nights were for cuddling and no one could stop them "I figured that with all the stories I've heard over the years, most of them started with 'you'll think I'm crazy, but' from people who felt ashamed because most looked at them just like that, crazy people telling crazy stories"  
"But you don't think that way"  
"I have my doubts, but I try not to dismiss them outright because there's no proof or whatnot, it's what I wanted to do with the x-files, try to get to the bottom of those stories" he went back to rubbing her feet  
"Although this is a work of fiction, because not everyone wants to be a character in a book that will read like science fiction, I think that if I tell the story right, I might be able to bring some dignity to the way people look at the victims of this occurrences, no more belittling them or their experiences. I want to take the idea and make the reader connect with it and accept the possibility that strange things could happen to anyone, and they do, and maybe these people and cases deserve to be investigated instead of being labeled unexplainable, dismissed and filed under X"  
"That's a very noble goal"  
"It's probably crazy and won't stick, but I want to try and see what will happen" he squeezed himself next to her on the couch, resting his head on her shoulder "and I would tell you about it eventually because I will need your help"  
"With what" she ran her fingers through his hair, staring into his playful hazel eyes  
"Medical terms" he smiled "one of the two main characters is a doctor"  
"Really" She laughed  
"And an FBI agent"  
"Alright, start from the beginning" 

They booked a room at the inn without a problem, late November on Martha's Vineyard wasn't very busy by anyone's standards. They invited Teena to dinner, Mulder knew her favorite place and was sure Scully will love it too, because as cold as his mother was, she knew quality and picked only what's best.  
"You're not drinking Dana?" Teena asked as she saw Scully push her glass aside and reach for water.  
"That's what we wanted to tell you mom" Mulder started, lowering his gaze. Both women noticed the change in him, and Scully took his hand in hers, saying the next words with pride and confidence  
"I'm pregnant"  
"Oh" was her first reply, but she quickly smiled a surprisingly warm smile and almost exclaimed "Congratulations darling"  
She got up and hugged them both, first Scully kissing her cheek then Mulder, also with a kiss.  
"Don't look at me like that Fox" she smiled as she pulled back "I am happy for you"  
"You are?"  
"Of course I am, don't be silly" she turned to Scully "we may have had a rough start, but this changes everything, a new life is what our family needs" she went back to her seat and kept smiling.  
"I'm glad you finally settled down Fox. After your father died, it pained me to think I would lose you for good. I thought a lot about how we treated you and how unfair it was. You cut us out from your life and after all those years, I think we deserved that, but here you are, reaching out, and I'm grateful to you, both of you in fact."  
"Mom" there were tears in his voice but she cut him off before he could say more.  
"I know you're used to doing things your own way, I won't even try to change that" emotion broke through her composure and she quickly wiped the tear from the corner of her eye "I just want to be a part of your life, I want to know my grandchild, while I still have time"  
"Is everything alright?" Scully asked picking up on that last part.  
"Yes, as far as I know, yes, but I'm not as young as I used to be, and as time goes by and friends pass on, you start thinking about things you've lost and what you'd do differently, if you had the chance." Teena took her son's hand and looked him in the eye "forgive me for everything I did to you in the past, I always loved you, it was grief that blinded me and I regret that"  
"It's okay mom" Mulder finally found his voice, shaky and filled with emotion "we all played out part over the years, and now it's time to move on"  
"Thank you" she squeezed his hand one last time and smiled at the both of them "so, what shall we order, apart from champagne"  
They laughed and the rest of the evening was one of the happiest nights he remembered spending with his mother in his adult life. 

Teena Mulder did not meet her grandchild, a brain aneurysm took her shortly after that night. Mulder took it hard, but was grateful he had the chance to reconcile with his mother before she died.


	22. My Hero

The entire family was siting at the table, Maggie Scully hasn't had that in years, someone was always away, or working or couldn't find time. She watched her new son, how happy he was, listening to every word Charlie had to say about his time in France. Missy talked to Dana about a high school friend she met at a few days back, Ethan helped little Emily with her food, such a charming young man. The only dark spot in this picture was Billy and Tara, sitting silent on the other end of the table. The heavy cloud hanging over his head grew darker with each moment as he became more and more isolated from the rest of the company. Maggie knew something was bound to happen. 

"An the pastor told them he had no free openings in June at all" Missy told Dana, who asked when their friend planed to have her wedding "not even twenty minutes of spare time, and she wanted so much to get married in that beautiful little church outside of town. She said it has this long lane of black locusts blooming at that time of year, the air is practically saturated with the sweet scent, and she wanted it to remind her of that day"  
"How romantic"  
"They're getting married in a church, you hear that Dana?" A heavy silence hung over the table. Mulder gritted his teeth, patience wearing thin with each word coming out of his brother-in-law's mouth.  
"Like adults, a real wedding, not some pretend Elvis chapel stunt"  
"That's enough" Mulder stared Bill straight in the eye, his voice soft, but gaze white flame hot "the decisions were ours and we made them together, we don't have to explain ourselves to you"  
"You think that what, a priest's blessing makes marriages last longer?" Scully bristled "even if we'd never marry, I'd still love him more than anything in my life, I'd belong to no other and wouldn't want to wake up next to anyone but him for the rest of my life" As she spoke, Mulder's hand found hers and she held on, drawing on his confidence and giving back reassurance.  
"I never felt like this about anyone" Mulder kept his soft tone, but instead of threat it was filled with love as he looked back to Scully, "her brilliant mind and kind heart keep me anchored to the ground as her love lifts me up, gives wings and expands my heart. No one else could make me work as hard to make it work and at the same time be sure that there isn't a thing in the world that we can't do, if we do it together"  
"So you can say what you want Bill, but our marriage is real and we're not going anywhere" Scully spoke with confidence, her head high as she faced her brother. She paused for a moment and Mulder finished for her.  
"Nothing you'll say will make us regret the choices we made or love each other less so you might as well give it up" she nodded in agreement  
"Bill, I think it's time you got over whatever it is that makes you despise your sister and her husband" Maggie said, standing up "otherwise there's no more room for you at this table"  
That got Bill's attention "Mom!"  
"Tonight is Thanksgiving, and I'm thankful for my growing family. We lost your father too soon but I'm sure he'd be happy for Dana, and proud she picked a man who knows how to love her and make her happy, same goes for you Melissa, Ethan, we're glad you and Emily are here with us tonight" he nodded stroking Emily's head, who was hiding a little in her dad's arms, scared of the big man who was mean to aunt Dana "Charlie has no problem with any of this, and I don't see what gives you the right to judge them, no one else here does or ever will, especially when Dana's choices make her happy and bring happiness into our family. Can you imagine greater joy than expecting a new member of the family? One day you'll understand how it feels, I hope you and Tara will be as happy as they are and we will be happy for you as we are for Dana and Fox now. So I ask you one last time, will you let go of those imagined slights and shake Fox's hand. I don't expect you to love him right now, but if you keep this up, no good will come from it, and it will break my heart."  
"Honey" Tara rested her hand on Bill's fist and wrapped her fingers around his white knuckles "this is their life, they are happy and this has been eating you from the inside since you found out, it's not healthy and not right to fight your family, it's all we've got in the end" Bill looked at his wife saw the truth in her, and his shoulders slumped. Mulder took this as a sign and stood up, reaching out his hand, waiting and hoping they can end this pointless quarrel. A few heartbeats passed before silent plea in Tara's eyes made Bill swallow his pride and stand up. He shook Mulder's hand, although there was no love in his eyes.  
"I will take care of her" Mulder said with confidence and smiled, taking a first step towards peace.  
"I'm a doctor, I can take care of myself" Scully snorted and everyone laughed as Mulder sat down and kissed her cheek.  
"Yourself, me and everyone else, Doc" she smiled and kissed him briefly before returning to her turkey and mashed potatoes, relaxed and hungry, at last.

Friday was spent in far less tense atmosphere, they took a long walk with Emily in the morning, ate light lunch once they got back, played a few rounds of cards as Scully and Emily slept afterwards.  
Emily connected with Maggie from the moment they met and she was happy to stay with her, freeing the grownups to go have some fun. Charlie remembered the bar down the street, where they used to hang out when Scully came to visit home in her college days, and she was surprised the place still existed. Missy offered to drive Bill and Tara to the airport and meet them there when she came back. 

Mulder sat on the edge of the pool table, his white t-shirt in stark contrast against the purple baize and the darkened room around them. Scully watched his elegant fingers splayed on the fabric as he lined up the shot, from behind his back, showing off. Yet what caught her attention time and time again over the past hour, as he beat first Charlie and now Ethan, wasn't his shapely ass as he leaned over the table, nor his arms and back, each muscle defined as if he stepped out from a page of her anatomy textbook, wasn't his focused expression or feline grace as he walked around the table judging each move with precision and confidence. It was his ring, shining brightly each time his hand rested gently on the cloth surface of the table.  
"Eight in the top right hand pocket" he called it, a swift sparse move, a crack of wood against lacquered surface followed by soft pop of ball against ball, and there it was, a perfect shot.  
"That just isn't fair" Charlie complained, shaking his head in resignation.  
"Oxford education my friend" Mulder chuckled and took a sip of his beer. He circled the table and perched himself on the armrest of Scully's chair to collect his prize "Enjoying the floor show Ma'am?"  
"Very much" she kissed him, slow but chaste, as his arm circled her shoulders, drawing her in.  
"Who taught you that" she asked when he broke the kiss, all to soon for her taste.  
"No one specific, practice I guess" he set the cue in a rack mounted on a wall behind them "on long winter nights, when wind howled on campus and people crammed for their revisions, one poor bastard cursed with eidetic memory played pool"  
"For money?"  
"Sometimes" he smiled tucking a strand of hair behind her ear "but mostly to kill time. Since I wasn't a big soccer fan, a pint of beer and a rack were best chance to make friends"  
"So you had friends back then"  
"Yes" he sounded a little offended  
"What? You never talk about it" she laughed and watched as Ethan fished the balls from pockets and aranged them inside a triangle in the middle of the table. A match for the second place in their impromptu tournament.  
"There's not much to tell"  
"Has anyone beat you?" Charlie asked flipping a coin to determine who goes first "or were you a natural"  
"Oh I've got beat up loads of times" he laughed, pulling Scully to her feet and sliding into her chair, then sitting her back in his lap.  
"By whom?" Ethan went first and Mulder paused, watching the balls bounce of the rails.  
"An English teacher, oddly enough" he said assessing the game with one eye wrapping his arms around her waist "He was a good friend, big on fantasy and sci-fi novels"  
"English teacher who loves science fiction?"  
"Why not? They're not all Shakespeare and Keats types" he chuckled "some like Asimov and Le Guin and Tolkien"  
"Yeah, I like sci-fi" Charlie said taking Ethan's place in aiming at the white ball, the blue striped his mark.  
"Since when?" Missy said walking up to them, her nose red from walking to the bar from their mothers's place. She kissed Ethan in greeting and whispered something in his ear before he went to the bar.  
"Since I had to learn French, and fast" he hit the white ball sending it swiftly over the cloth and his target blue tumbled down the hole like Alice pushed in by the white rabbit "The language is fairly simple if you chose the right title and the plot kept me interested enough to keep going"  
"That's a pretty good tactic" Mulder smiled playing with Scully's hand.  
"Bill's gone?" Scully asked her sister.  
"Yup, caught his flight and everything" Missy smiled at Mulder who looked a little guilty "come on Mulder, stop feeling bad about it"  
"I'm trying"  
"It was bound to happen" Scully stroked his head as she felt his arms tighten around her "he had it coming"  
"I just couldn't sit and listen to him talking about us like we're some sort of fling"  
"Mom backed you up" Missy said accepting her G&T from Ethan, who saw Charlie waiting for him to take his turn "before they left she told him again that she will not tolerate his sarcasm and that you are a part of this family, no matter how the two of you got together. And she expects him and Tara to be happy for you, because she is thrilled and can't wait to be a grandma"  
"Go mom!" Charlie raised his glass "and go Team Mulder! You're my hero man"  
"I" he paused "I don't want to be the source of conflict anymore, that's all"  
"You're not, and you'll see, this time next year, you'll be too tired to care!" Missy said only half joking.  
"She's right" Ethan chimed in "I still feel like I have some sleep debt from that time, and Emily will be four this year"  
"Right, about next year" Missy looked a little hesitant as Ethan wrapped his arm around her waist "we're going to steal a little thunder from you two next May"  
"What do you mean?" Scully asked, curious but already starting putting two and two together, or rather one and two.  
"We already told mom, and we wanted to tell everyone at dinner yesterday, but obviously Bill had to step in and spoil the mood, as he always does"  
"We're getting married" Ethan managed to squeeze in the news between Missy's nervous babbling.  
"Yes, sometime mid-May" Scully sprang to her feet, Mulder right at her heels.  
"Oh my God!" she exclaimed, both sisters hugging each other tight as Mulder shook Ethan's hand "Congratulations"  
"Both of my sisters, married" Charlie took up a old English lady accent and grabbed Scully and Missy in a group hug.  
"We should celebrate!" Mulder went to the bar and came back with champagne and glasses. The cork popped, glasses were passed, and as the oldest of the company he raised his and they followed.  
"To our growing family and a truly happy Thanksgiving"  
"Happy Thanksgiving" the glasses clinked and once lowered, all eyes turned to Charlie.  
"What?"  
"Where's your news brother?" Mulder loved to call him that.  
"What news, I've got no news"  
"Come on, tell them"  
"Tell what?" Scully asked looking between the two, puzzled how when Charlie and Mulder became such good friends.  
"He's..." Mulder paused to give him a chance to finish the sentence.  
Missy hated the suspense "he's what?"  
"I'm..." Charlie stretched the teasing voice "going to tell you at Christmas"  
"What?!" Three pairs of eyes looked at him, disbelief written all over faces.  
Only Mulder looked amused at their eagerness to find out the scoop "You're ruthless"  
"Mulder!" Scully turned to him expectantly as he sipped his champagne.  
"What? It's his news, he told you, you'll find out next month"  
"Mulder" her tone changed, turning to silk and honey as she melted into his side, wrapping both of her arms around his waist "Tell me"  
"Can't Doc, gave my word" he smiled kissing her forehead.  
"Give her a moment" Charlie looked over his shoulder heading back to the table, determined to finish the game "she'll figure it out"  
"She will, she's psychic my Doc" Mulder led her back to the chair, set his glass on a small table next to it and pulled Scully back in his lap.  
"So, it's a secret, and Mulder knows about it, and we'll find out around Christmas" she ticked off the facts with her fingers.  
"Go on" Charlie leaned over the table and weighed his options again.  
"And it's something you probably needed Mulder's help with" she reasoned out loud "Not me, or Missy, or Mom, because then it wouldn't be a secret"  
"That doesn't say much" Mulder wasn't even hiding his smile.  
"He hasn't got a girlfriend in Paris" she continued, pensive.  
"Maybe I have a boyfriend?" Charlie teased as a pink striped ball bounced of the rail missing the hole by quarter of an inch.  
"Do you?"  
"Not anymore" he smiled a honest smile and Scully was only a little surprised.  
"Okay, so what could it be, that took up Mulder's time, that I didn't know about"  
"You know about everything this days" he leaned back, amused, and watched her brain work, waiting for her to figure it out.  
"So it has to be something you could be doing for yourself as well"  
"Now that narrows it down, considerably" he agreed and her eyes widened.  
"You're helping her, that's cheating"  
"What? I want her to figure it out"  
Missy sipped her drink in silence, simply enjoying the picture of friendly family banter for a change.  
"We've been going through real estate listings recently, in case we decide to move because of the baby" Scully's smile widened as she spoke, realizing she was right "you're coming home!"  
"Damn, you should be a detective!" Mulder raised his glass to her.  
"Told ya' she'll figure it out" Charlie laughed "that's right sis, I'm moving to DC, got a job starting in January, so if you ever need a babysitter"  
"I'll call Melissa" Scully replied with a wide grin and everybody laughed. 

 

They started taking baths together regularly. Her body resting against his in the tub, he can't stop touching her belly, feeling it grow every week, changing beneath his hands. He cried the day he felt the baby kick for the first time. 

The knowledge that she carried his child turned Mulder on and left him on. He couldn't get enough, every moment apart was torture, every moment with her felt like heaven on earth. He didn't know why exactly. Was it her smile when she caught him staring? Was it the way she moved with newly found care for the holiest of burdens, or maybe the fact that she glowed more than ever, even in pain when she cursed and rubbed at her back unable to find the right spot in bed. On such nights he liked to reach out to her, make her use him like a whole body pillow, her growing bump resting against his side, head pillowed on his shoulder, leg hooked over his thigh, his hand rubbing the small of her back until she sighed, warmed and relaxed, ready to sleep.  
He listened to her everyday litany of aches and pains. The fact she told him openly about it was a milestone in itself. She never slowed down though, even when he told her the same things every day, _you don't have to work, you can stay home and do only as much as you feel like doing_ , for which she would tell him, time and time again, that she wants it, that she's fine, there will be time for bedrest, just not yet, just one more week. And he would kiss the stubborn little crease on her forehead, agree to do what she wanted and go back to holding her and rubbing her back until they both fell asleep.

Sometimes Scully caught him daydreaming, slipping into stories of what he wants to do as the baby grows, which movies would they watch together, games they would go to, what books to read at bedtime.  
Other times Mulder was scared, overthinking things that might happen, like will he be a good father? What does it mean exactly, and how will he know if the things he does won't come back to haunt him in twenty years time. No course at Oxford prepared him for that.  
In those moments he went to Scully, just to sit by her on the couch, or turned to face her in bed and rest his hand on her cheek or waist, to remind himself he was not alone in this, they had each other and together they could move mountains. 

Scully had her hopes and doubts, but first and foremost, she wanted her child to be healthy and happy and safe, and looked to Mulder to help her with that. She often thought what kind of person would their child grow up to be, happy but calm, sweet and charming or maybe loud and curious and seeking adventure around every corner and under every rock.  
Sometimes at night, when she couldn't sleep, she sat at their kitchen table sipping tea and thought about what their life will look like, once the baby storms into it. The happy moments, the firsts, laughs, teeth, steps, birthdays, words, until she felt sleepy enough to go back to bed, wrapping herself around Mulder. Together waiting for the future she believed they were always destined to share.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Foo Fighters - "My Hero" (acoustic)
> 
> For Pancha31 and GigiBlue and Nick and everyone who still reads this. THANK YOU


	23. Walkin' My Baby Back Home

It was late March. One of their last nights at the apartment, soon things will go into boxes, some to be left behind, some to follow them to their new home. 

February stars were shining bright on a relatively warm night as they walked home from the movie theater. She craved doughnuts and holding hands, talking about Missy's and Ethan's struggle to find the right band for their wedding.  
"What would you chose?" Mulder asked licking the frosting of his fingers.  
"Any band?"  
"Any band, existing or not, money doesn't mater"  
"Sex Pistols!"  
"Whoa, why?"  
"Because I used to love punk" she smiled, happy she could still surprise him.  
"Seriously?"  
"Sid Vicious, huge crush of mine back in the day, you?"  
"Elvis, or Sinatra, maybe we should get married in Vegas " she hooked her arm under his elbow and snuggled into his side. "But I'm glad we didn't have to go through making all those choices, all that fuss and pressure! No wonder people get cold feet when the time finally comes"  
"My thoughts exactly"  
"But we will be fine, time wise?" he meant the baby.  
"I think so, these things may vary but we should be fine" Mulder stoped suddenly, pulling her with him "what?"  
"Look at that" he nodded to the front of a nearby building.  
They stood in front of a two-stories brownstone townhouse, "for sale" sign hanging from a low, cast iron fence.  
A few steps lead to the front door, windows beneath the street level suggested a converted basement. The house looked elegant, tall windows, now dark, no doubt letting in a lot of light, a quick look around told her it was oriented like their apartment, front of the house facing east. Scully tried to puzzle out the inner layout and wondered for a moment what waited out back. She even risked a thought of a garden, but quickly sobered.  
"Mulder, it's beautiful but we can't afford it"  
"Says who?"  
"My young doctor's salary and your freelancing"  
"We'll see" he started walking again, glancing at the sign one more time, committing the number to memory. "My only objection would be to the stairs"  
He let it go far too quickly to fool her and the grin on his face told that his curiosity has stirred. Mulder had a feeling.

 

Something soft. Against lips. Warm, tickling mint. Jostle, dip by his side. Fingers comb through hair.  
"Mulder" there's warm brightness behind his eyelids. "Mulder, wake up"  
_Don't wanna, come here, come back._ Voice, he had it, somewhere, needed to say, something. _So good, so warm, want you, just, come here._  
"It's almost 8, sleepyhead" that warm thing again, high on his cheek, moving, tickling his ear.  
No voice, maybe hand, move hand. Hands are better at listening to commands, he feels silk, hard swell of her belly, more silk, her robe, "c'mere"  
She shifts, a second of emptiness. The best things, need to work for them, wake up, move, make room. And then she's there, her body, different in shape yet still the same, the scent, the feeling. Might as well... "good morning"  
"Good morning, sleepyhead" he feels her lips again "big day"  
"Just ten minutes more"  
"The movers will come for this bed in one hour"  
"Five minutes then" he moved closer, aware that she's right, and that it means nothing, he can have this bliss anytime, anywhere. But still, he wants it now, just for five more minutes.  
"You finished packing the kitchen" Scully said, playing with his hair, gentle fingers over his scalp made his eyes feel heavy again, lulling him back to sleep.  
"Mhmm" _because I wanted to have this time with you, right here._  
She fell silent for a moment and moved his hand from hip to the side of her belly. Mulder could feel the baby shift and caressed the spot, her hand covering his.  
"Hello baby" he sighed, lips stretching in a smile "excited?"  
"Possible, he's squirming a little more than usual"  
"So it's a he day?" He kept stroking the spot gently and felt the baby kick again.  
"I feel so big, you might think we have twins"  
"Two more months, Doc" he gathered her closer "then we'll share the load."  
She wrapped her arm around him and found his lips, her tongue gentle but urgent as one leg went around his hip. Mulder smiled against her lips and slipped one hand under the waistband of her pj pants.  
"Take them off" she breathed, clawing at his t-shirt.  
"I thought" he teased, trailing kisses to her ear and down the side of her neck "we don't have time" then pushed two fingers inside her, slowly.  
"I'll always have time for you" Scully gave up on his shirt and managed to pull his pants halfway down with one free hand "Mulder" there was a note of plea and impatience in her words.  
"You need to work for it a little, Doc" he loved when she jumped him like this, she knew what she wanted and when and he was more than happy to give. He kissed her as she squirmed against him, making him hard. It was useless to resist, and they really had little time and a big day planed, so he laid back and pushed his pants all the way down as Scully kicked off her pj's and straddled his hips, taking him in.  
"One last time" she smiled. The belly made it difficult to reach his lips when she leaned over him, so sweet and clumsy he almost laughed, he probably would if he didn't love her so much. Instead he propped himself on his elbows and met her half way, kissing her deeply as she started to move, not wasting any time.

 

The realtor gave them some time to look around. The floors were all dark wood, the walls painted eggshell white, a blank canvas, ready to receive a new life. Three bedrooms and a large bathroom upstairs, and attic for storage. Large kitchen, dinning room and living room in the main part of the house, with large doors leading to a small, but well kept garden behind the house. Previous owners left a swing in the corner, under a large willow tree growing on the other side of a brick wall. It's branches hanging down over the lawn, now bare and sad, but in spring they must look like a green curtain hiding the swing from view, providing a bit of sweet privacy.  
The basement downstairs was ready to become an office they could share. Large and well lit, the ceiling surprisingly high and not as claustrophobic as one might think. A section of space was walled off housing a small laundry room an utility closet. The floors here were dark as in every other part of the house, but the walls were painted warm shade of vanilla, begging for standing lamps and a soft rug.  
She hated to admit, but the place looked perfect, and even worse, felt perfect to her. She saw herself having morning coffee on a bench, looking out through the picture window in the kitchen, planting some flowers in the garden, roses and peonies maybe. She pictured them on his couch in the office, just the two of them, as the baby slept upstairs. She absolutely hated the fact that it was so perfect, it felt like home, even like this, empty and waiting to be made their own.  
"Mulder, take me home" Scully said a little sad.  
"You don't like it?"  
"I love it, that's the problem"  
"It's the fourth house we're seeing, you never said you loved the other three, why this one"  
"I see myself here, it's not too big to feel empty, even empty as it is, but not cramped either, the rooms seem comfortable, and don't even ask me about the mosaic tiles in the bathroom, like from some Mediterranean dream. I love everything about it, but I know we can't afford it"  
"We can" he wrapped his arms around her "I found a buyer for dad's house on the Vineyard"  
Scully looked up, surprised. She knew he was looking, but this was news to her. "When?"  
"Francine, the woman from the agency managing the summer lease called some people who were renting it last year because they loved it so much. They are ready to buy" his smile was growing as he spoke, seeing the light coming back to her eyes.  
"Besides, we don't need two summer houses on the Vineyard" he wanted to say something more but her lips shut him up, so he let it go. 

 

"No heavy lifting" Mulder's tone was commanding, demanding obedience, a tone he rarely used with anyone, and almost never with her "I mean it"  
"I won't touch a box, I promise"  
"Pinky swear promise?"  
"Don't push it" Scully turned around and inspected the boxes again.  
Everything was packed and labeled. Each box had it's place, marked in large black letters, slogans like 'kitchen china FRAGILE!!!', 'basement office HEAVY', 'bedroom clothes winter'.  
All boxes and packages marked 'baby' were already on site, ready to be assembled in the newly painted nursery. The apartment was looking more and more abandoned, and she felt a moment of sadness, having to leave the place where she made nothing but good memories.  
"Missy and Charlie will be here soon" his hand on her lower back guided her to the couch "you should sit, we'll have all day for running around"  
"This is it" she said sitting down.  
"Yup, no more elevator make-outs" Mulder sounded wistful as he sat next to her, wrapping one arm around her shoulders "no more star gazing on the rooftop"  
"No more parties upstairs, we have no control over"  
"No more banging on the walls when we're too loud" he teased kissing behind the ear "and the only baby crying on the other side of the wall will be ours"  
"Our own"  
"You still don't wanna know if it's a boy or a girl?" One hand resting on the swell of her belly, Mulder caressed it gently. She could feel the depth of his love in that one, slow touch.  
"The mystery baby" she replied kissing his forehead "loved no matter what"  
"Always" he agreed leaning over, and kissed her bump over a cable knit sweater that hung to her knees dress-like, combined with pregnancy jeans. Scully always took care to look well, she never wore sweats outside the gym, not since he could remember.  
"Mulder, you're such a sap sometimes" she stroked his head reflexively, he knew how to get her to slow down.  
"I don't think you realize, what having a family means to me" he looked up and spoke softly "both of my parents are gone, Samantha might be out there somewhere, and I will keep looking for her, but you are the most important person in my world, you and the little one inside you. Us" he dropped his gaze to their joined hands "I know my place is here."  
"Like I said" Scully wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, wondering how he somehow managed to make her cry "a great big sap"  
"That's the thing about sitting surrounded by boxes" he cupped her cheek and leaned in "it makes me think, how all I really need is you, and none of that material crap"  
"Mulder" she whispered against his lips, hovering over hers.  
"I know, I say the wrong things at the wrong moments" his voice was barely a whisper too "it doesn't make them any less true"  
She parted her lips and his kiss matched his words, deep, soft. A soul deep kiss. 

 

Mulder never realized how many things a baby needs. It looked as if it was basically everything, a little home worth of things. Bottles, pacifiers, combs, soaps, shampoos, powders, creams, tons of clothes, blankets, sheets, towels. Everything heart meltingly small and cute.  
He walked through rows upon rows of toy sized shirts, pants, socks as big as his two fingers, hats, overalls, it was pure madness. Some had classical prints of cartoon characters, old Disney and Warner Bros. finest, Mickey and Bugs, other had crazy patterns meant more for parent's amusement, with cheeky tag lines like _"my mom is prettier than yours"_ or _"where did the aliens hide my stroller?"._ Those made Mulder laugh, but since he didn't know if they were shopping for a boy or a girl, he decided to go for neutral colors, pale blues and yellows, leaving the more adventurous designs for some other time.  
One thing caught his eye though, the smallest pair of shoes he ever saw in his life. They weren't sparkling, or glow in the dark, didn't look like a space ship or a miniature of some adult design. No, they were white, made of the softest leather he ever touched and small enough, that he could hide them between the palms of his hands. So tiny and delicate that he felt like a giant, too clumsy to handle something so precious and fragile. A little human, made of him and her, with feet as small as his finger.  
Scully's hand over his broke the spell, and when he looked at her she saw tears in his eyes. She smiled and wrapped her own small hand around his.  
"We'll take them too"  
They left the store holding hands, her sure grip banishing his fear and reminding him of a simple fact, small and fragile things gave him strength. 

 

"Books go downstairs, thank you!" Scully called after Langly who vanished inside the house with a large box in his arms. His face looked red and he was breathing heavily as he passed her. She would feel bad for him longer but next came Mulder carrying a large mirror, walking carefully up the steps. She covered her eyes praying in silence _"don't break, don't break, don't break"._  
"I'll leave that in the bedroom, for now" he headed upstairs with a little more confidence, seven years of bad luck was no laughing matter.  
"Clothes?" Missy asked looking at the box in Charlie's hands.  
"Upstairs" she looked over her shoulder, saw Mulder coming back and called to him "Stay there" he stoped and she told Charlie to give the box to him. Charlie picked up the idea, letting Mulder and the others carry the boxes inside as he stayed half way up the steps to the second floor and took the boxes from them leaving each one in a different room as per Scully's instructions. They did the same with the basement, Byers took the watch by the stairs and carried the boxes down, all in all it made the whole operation go much faster.

After the moving company took care of all the furniture and larger packages, the few things they had left took less than three hours to unload and be distributed around the house. Everyone grabbed a chair and they sat at the new dining table, devouring a late lunch like it was their first meal in weeks. Queen's Greatest Hits sounded from somewhere behind the boxes scattered around the living room.  
"Who hooked up the stereo?" Mulder asked.  
"I did" Frohike said around a big mouthful of pizza "It's important what music plays first in a new place, it's like a first dance."  
"Good choice then" the house was warm, they turned on the heating a few days ago and it smelled of fresh paint and change.  
"What are we doing next?" Langly washed down the pizza with coke and set back kicking Byers under the table by accident.  
"You've done enough, thank you" Scully smiled and took another bite, she was always hungry these days and this pizza tasted like the best thing in the world.  
"You sure?" He looked around the war zone in the living room behind him.  
"We've got time, the bedroom is almost set, Missy will help with the kitchen"  
"So we'll just set up the tv for you and be on our way, just one more thing" Frohike said getting up to find his bag. He came back with a large, flat, gift wrapped package.  
"What is this?" Scully took the gift from him and glanced at Mulder, he looked as puzzled as she was.  
"A house warming gift, what do you think?" He laughed and went back to his beer and pizza.  
"Open it" Byers encouraged her "I assure you it's nothing inappropriate"  
"They didn't let me buy that Japanese lithography"  
"A picture of an octopus pleasuring a woman is not something you want in a home with small children, Langly" Byers sounded like he was tired of the argument.  
"Yeah, you'd know that if you ever spent any time around girls" Frohike chimed in.  
"I date all the time!" Langly's face turned red.  
"Your crush on Esther doesn't count"  
"It wasn't just a crush, we dated!"  
"You were a rebound, man" everyone laughed, not at Langly, but the exchange.  
Scully unwrapped the gift as they bantered, Mulder, curious as well, looking over her shoulder. It was a framed picture, from the New Years Eve party, 1993. The night they kissed for the first time, the night it all really began. It clearly was unposed, a stroke of luck candid shot. The two of them caught a second after the kiss, standing close together, Mulder leaning against the bar with his arm around her in the calm eye of the storm of the cheering party.  
Scully looked at the picture of the two of them and felt a little embarrassed, as if she walked in on a private moment. She recognized Mulder's smile, one saw many times every day, when she caught him staring, when he touched her, when he felt the baby. But the way she looked at him was a surprise, she didn't realize she looked so exclusive. If it was someone else in the picture, a stranger, she'd say that this woman saw and cared about nothing but this man. She looked up at Mulder who smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead.  
"Who took this picture?" he asked turning to the Gunmen and giving her a moment to collect herself.  
"I did" said Frohike "I haven't noticed it until a few weeks ago, when I was looking for some surveillance photos from that time"  
"What is it?" Charlie asked, sitting on the other side of the table and unable to see the gift. Scully showed him the framed photograph. "Oh wow, when was this taken?" he couldn't recognize the hair style.  
"New Years Eve, 1993" Scully explained "Well, actually January 1st 1994, few months after we met"  
"It was a good day" Mulder remembered, pulling her into his side, Charlie's expression begging for a better explanation "Not every day you kiss your future wife for the first time"  
"Do we always look like this?" Scully was a little shell shocked from the realization, all of a sudden the complaining made sense.  
"Pretty much" Langly agreed.  
"Should have gone with the octopus thing then" she chuckled.  
"Nonsense" Mulder took the picture and held it at arm's length "What do you think, by the stairs?"  
"No" she didn't want everyone to see this, as soon as they walked in.  
"Why not? It's better than most wedding pictures I've seen so far"  
"Mulder, when was the last time you went to a wedding?" Scully teased him  
"Office then" he replied avoiding her question so obviously, he made everyone laugh.  
"Alright, office it is" she smiled stretching her neck to kiss his cheek sweetly. 

 

Mulder sat at the desk in the basement office as Scully slept on the couch next to him, curled under a blanket and snoring slightly. Although they had this big house now, they still felt the pull of shared space. The picture of the two of them hung on the wall above her.  
Pulling out one last blank sheet of paper, he set it on top of the manuscript and wrote the dedication in his most elegant cursive.  
_"For Scully, my friend, my constant, my touchstone, my love"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nat King Cole - "Walkin' My Baby Back Home"


	24. I Won't Dance, Don't Ask Me

It was unseasonably warm May, and being so, garden furniture hoped up to the top of their shopping list. They browsed together through catalogues to spare Scully the hours of walking from store to store, looking for something they might actually like. Finally picking a bench, two chairs and a small table, Mulder called around to find a store which had the items on display so they could check them out. A well thought out plan, as one would expect from Scully, who first had the idea. After spending three sunny days at home, she dreamed of flowers and breakfasts on the grass.  
"It needs some pillows" Mulder noted stretching out on he bench, his legs dangling over the armrest "Other than that, I think it's okay"  
"Make some room for the pregnant woman" she said jokingly and moved to sit by his head, letting him rest it in her lap.  
"Yes, much better" he smiled and sighed "now I know what you meant, it feels like a great way to start a day"  
"Morning coffee in the shade, hidden from the backing heat on the other side of the house"  
"You wanna go see some flowers while we're here?"  
“Sure”  
They found the sales girl, placed their order, the furniture scheduled to be delivered the next day, and went to the gardening section.

Scully sat on a blanket sipping ice tea and watched Mulder push the shovel into the ground. He was digging a small hole for a young rosebush, third in a line of five along the wall separating their garden from the adjoining property. The evening wasn’t warm enough to make Mulder do this shirtless, still it gave her something to look forward to as Summer unfolded. For now she was delighted to watch him in his favorite gray t-shirt, golden hour sun making the skin of his arms glow. Lifting boxes and crates at the bar was good for him, and being used to seeing him in every state of undress, even she had moments when she looked at him and realized, her husband was a very handsome man.  
"I can feel you staring" he laughed, wiping the sweat of his forehead with the back of his hand.  
"I like staring at you from time to time" Mulder picked a plastic flower pot holding a bush of deep red roses but she stoped him "No, the pink ones"  
He took the other one, showed it to her for approval and seeing her nod, knelt on the ground, cautiously shaking the plant from it's pot.  
"Finally the summer job paid off"  
"You were a gardener? When?"  
"After my father moved out, I was fifteen then" he untangled the roots, shaking out dirt into a hole he just dug, then gently set the plant in it and started to fill the hole back up "Mrs Petrie, our next door neighbor had a large garden, one year she sprained her ankle and couldn't take care of it herself" he pressed the dirt around the base and dusted off his hands, getting up.  
"How old was she?" Scully asked with a hint of a smile.  
"Seventy two, a very nice old lady. She paid me with ice tea and pie"  
"How sweet"  
"Gave me a reason to stay away from home that summer" he said, picking up the shovel again "kept my temper in check too"  
"Probably had a cute grand daughter as well" she teased him.  
"Oh sweet Laura" Mulder said dreamily "she was maybe six that year, cute kid" They both laughed.  
"Manual labor helped me clear my mind too" Scully said laying on her side, head propped on the heal of her palm.  
"What did you do?"  
"Helped mom in the kitchen" as she spoke another rosebush found it's new home in their garden "baking usually, I liked the chemistry of it, the specificity of the recipes and occasional personal twist on a well practiced favorite"  
"Which was?" He asked taking a step back and judging his work from a distance, deciding he spaced them right, not too crowded, not too far apart.  
"Chocolate cake"  
"No surprise" he chuckled.  
"It took a lot of work, we made everything from scratch, from sponge to frosting, not to mention decorating it, which was most fun"  
"Did you put alcohol in it?"  
"Of course, but not util me and Missy were older"  
"Well" he flattened the dirt around the last bush and gathered the pots and shovel "do you think you’d be up for baking something for us tomorrow?"  
"You want payment for services rendered?" She smiled as he knelt by her, the rich smell of dirt and sweat combined with a disheveled look made something primal stir inside her.  
"More like a little party for two, once they deliver the rest of the garden stuff"  
"Weren't you supposed to work tomorrow?" Scully smiled handing him his glass and watched as half of his tea vanished in one gulp.  
"I switched with Mike” he said on a heavy exhale “he'll come after lunch and I'll take the evening."  
"Fair enough"  
"Now, where do you want the peonies?" 

 

Little Emily looked very serious throwing flower petals in the air, her little blue dress with white lace around the hem matched Carol's, Missy's best friend and bridesmaid. Missy and Uncle Marty walked slowly down the isle behind Emily to meet Ethan and his brother, Harry, waiting for her by the altar.  
Missy's 70's style long bohemian dress, ivory lace over satin and deep scoop neckline, looked innocent and simple. Her hair flowed softly down her shoulders and a garland of daisies adorned the white vail covering her face.  
Maggie couldn't stop the tears, wishing Bill could be with her to see both of his daughters happy and married.  
Scully and Mulder sat in the font row, his arm around her all the time, holding her hand as Ethan and Melissa spoke their vows.  
"As long as you both shall live?" The priest asked Ethan and Mulder leaned in, whispering into Scully's ear "I do"  
She turned to him and sealed his words with a kiss on his lips.  
And it was all it took, a few simple words made Missy a wife and mother, and Ethan a very happy man. 

The party was in full swing under a tent set up in the park. Tables were arranged around the dance floor, food was spectacular, champagne flowed and the sun set over a line of trees on the far edge of the pond. The band was small, but played all the songs everyone knew and loved.  
The tent was open on four sides and surrounded by flowers, their scent carried on even the smallest breeze. Their table gave them a great view of other guests and the dance floor, making them a part of the fun without the need for Scully to overexert herself. As for Mulder, apart from dancing with her mother once, he never left her side, and he was okay with that.  
They promised each other to take it easy, just show up, and leave at first signs of her exhaustion, but so far she felt good, as long as she didn't try to dance that is, and it wasn’t as easy as it sounded even with Mulder by her side. The staff was instructed to treat them with priority, Missy was happy they made the effort and came, with Scully's due date only days away.  
"Mulder you should dance" she told him for the up-tenth time as she recognized another of their favorite songs.  
"I won't dance" he smiled against her neck, humming directly into her ear, over Sinatra's famous tune "don't ask me"  
"But I want you to" she smiled.  
"Dana can I steal my brother-in-law for a dance?" Missy appeared before them and smiled reaching out her hand to Mulder.  
"Yes, you can and you should" Scully said kissing his cheek and pushing him away "Mulder, go on, you can't say no to the bride on her wedding day"  
"You need to watch the Godfather again, get your quotes straight" he chuckled, reluctantly untangling himself from her. He stood up, fixed his jacket and leaned over her for a second "Hold this for me" he whispered against her lips and kissed her quickly.  
"We're not going anywhere" she replied grinning.  
Scully rarely had a chance to see Mulder dancing with anyone but her and it was kind of silly to watch him this way. Arms framing Missy's stance, his back straight in an almost formal pose, handsome smile and his light step, all made her wonder if their child will inherit the dancing gene from him. 

Melissa was taller than her sister and dancing with her felt a little weird, not in a bad way, just different. Mulder was used to the way Scully fitted in his arms, his muscles remembered her shape, the freedom and ease with which he wrapped himself around her. He almost forgot what it's like to dance with someone who wasn't his. Up until now he didn't realize how much intimacy they shared through something so innocent as a simple dance.  
Missy smiled, glancing towards her sister who sipped her lemon water and nibbled on grapes watching them with a smile.  
"How is she?" She asked gliding through the dance floor, silently admitting that he in fact was a delightful dancer, respectful but comfortable, frankly far better than Ethan; not that it mattered.  
"Okay, as far as I can tell" he smiled turning them around and chuckled, air quotes in his voice "she's fine"  
"It won't be long now, I promise, we cut the cake and you can take her back to the hotel"  
"You know she won't go"  
"I know" they glanced to the table and saw Emily, who took Mulder's place and was talking to Scully about something, making her giggle.  
"This is your day Missy, don't worry about her" Mulder smiled pulling her closer in a way that felt like a hug, "Ethan is a great guy and we wish you all the happiness"  
"Thank you, you are a good brother" she said, kissing his cheek gently "Dana was very lucky to have found you."  
"Wow" that caught Mulder by surprise.  
"What?" she noticed his suddenly distant eyes and half-smile.  
"No one ever said that to me before" he explained looking away, trying to blink away the sting "I've done nothing to deserve this from you"  
"Mulder, you take care of my sister, and you're a friend" she squeezed his shoulder and he looked back at her "that's more than I can say about half of my real brothers"  
They both looked at Bill, sitting at the table with Ethan's brother who was talking to Tara about something that made her laugh. She was evidently enjoying the party and the attention but her husband’s face told them he wasn't as thrilled to be there.  
"I tell you, if Bill wasn't the spitting image of my father, I'd say he's adopted" her tone was joking, she reached the stage of happiness that made her okay with everything, the things that were in her control and the things that weren't.  
"Thank you" Mulder's voice was barely audible over the music "for accepting me into the family from day one"  
"From the way she behaved around you, I knew you were someone special, and Dana needs a little reassurance sometimes, to know she's doing the right thing. My little sister is the strongest of us all, but even she needs someone who will stand by her in case she falls down. So be there for her, you'll need each other now, more than ever"  
"There's no place I'd rather be"  
"Good, and remember, you are not alone, if you need help, we're here for you, just say the word"  
"Thank you" was all he could say. The music faded and he kissed the back of her hand, spotting Charlie behind her, smiling "looks like a line has formed behind me"  
"Mind if I cut in?" Charlie asked, his hand reached out.  
Missy smiled and let go of Mulder, turning to her younger brother, noticing his crooked bowtie and messed up hair "Where have you been?"  
"Long story, happy ending" he pulled her away into the crowd and vanished out of sight, as the music changed to another swinging classic. Mulder left the dance floor and blessed the day he met Scully and stepped into this family. The day he found people and a place to belong to. 

Mulder put one finger over his lips and winked at Scully as she saw him walking back to their table. He snuck up behind Emily, picked her up from his chair and made her squeal in surprised delight.  
"Hey kiddo, are you having fun?" He asked and she nodded vigorously as he set her in his lap, spotting a drawing in Scully's hand. "And what is that?"  
"I made a drawing for Mommy Missy" she said with a lot of pride "and I want Aunt Dana to help me sign it"  
"Can I see it?" Scully handed him the drawing and he unfolded it in front of them, Emily pointed her little finger to the figures and explained.  
"This is Mommy Missy, and this is Daddy" she said moving over two figures in the middle of a long line of stick characters "This is Aunt Dana and you" they stood on the left side, the figure that represented Scully was pale green like her dress and had a large circle drawn in the middle, Mulder wore a black tux of sharp lines and stood much taller that the pixie green Scully "and this is Uncle Harry, Grandma Maggie and Uncle Charlie. Aunt Tara had to move because Uncle Bill was standing too far in the picture."  
Mulder coudn't help but smile seeing Bill's downturned mouth, standing on the far end of the crowd, the kid had a great sense of family dynamics.  
"And where are you?" He asked her and she pointed to a small figure in the middle of the drawing.  
"This is me!"  
"This is a very beautiful drawing" Scully praised her with a warm smile "But we'll need crayons to sign it"  
"Why don't you go and find them, and bring them outside, and we'll meet you there, 'kay?" Mulder suggested and she hoped down, her little shoes clacking on the floor.  
"Okay" she took the drawing and ran off to find the rest of her toys.  
"You wanna go for a little walk?" He reached out one hand and Scully took it, pulling herself up.  
"I might as well move, I need to go to the bathroom anyway" her hand rested instinctively over her belly and she grimaced a little.  
Nothing, not even a smallest frown escaped his attention this days "Everything alright?"  
"I'm fine" she responded automatically "Just a little stiff, that's all"  
"Come on, let's get you moving" 

He waited outside the bathroom and when she came back, Mulder’s hand laded on the small of her back. He gathered her into his side, successfully distracting her by swaying a little from side to side as they walked around the dance floor and away to the wicker couches outside the tent, arranged in a peaceful lounge, with pillows and blankets and candles on small tables waiting to be lit after sundown.  
Fluffing a pillow he sat next to it, arms open and ready for Scully to lean against his side. She nestled herself in her favorite spot letting him drape one of the blankets over her legs. The sun was going down, slipping through orange and purple clouds.  
"I wish we could go a little farther" she said looking at the pond and the park stretching in front of them.  
"We will, we'll have a lot of time to take the baby for long walks"  
"Good thing we have our own park so close to home”  
“Have you thought about names?”  
“I did” she rested her head on his shoulder, taking his hand.  
“And?” It was a little frustrating to coax every answer about the baby from her but he learned to accept it. Scully caressed the swell of her belly over the blanket and sighed.  
“Can we meet the baby first?”  
“You won’t even give me a hint?”  
“Will you tell me your picks?”  
“I asked you first” he teased.  
“Well in that case, we’ll both have to wait”  
“Why?” She took the hand she was holding and pressed it against her side, the baby was stretching making her wince a little. She was simply too small to keep it inside any longer, the baby was eager to get out.  
“What do you feel?” He thought it’s a strange question coming from her “boy or a girl?”  
“I don’t know” he rubbed the spot where he felt the movement “a boy I think, but I wouldn’t mind a girl either, girls can kick ass like this too”  
“Exactly” she smiled keeping his hand where it was “so until we have the facts, I try not to attach to one specific name, what if it’s a girl, and she looks more like Susan than Kate, or maybe he’s a Tommy or Andrew, not Phil or Walter”  
“Walter?” He laughed “We’re not naming our son Walter”  
“Why?” She giggled at the finality of his tone.  
“I want my son to keep his hair”  
“Oh” she laughed “I didn’t mean your old boss”  
“I sure hope not” he pressed a kiss to her temple and stoped himself from stretching out his legs on the chair standing next to the couch.  
“But it’s a good, strong name for a boy” she watched as someone from the staff came to light the candles, the tent burst out with cheers and whistling “who knows, maybe he’ll want to join the FBI like his dad.”  
“Damn, in that case, he should take your name” he sighed “Spooky Mulder the Second makes me wanna kill myself”  
“My husband, the living legend” she teased him.  
“I’ll keep my fingers crossed he choses to become a forest ranger instead”  
“Or a dentist”  
“Or a college professor”  
“Teaching what?”  
“I don’t know, english literature”  
“Not conspiracy theories?”  
“Math! An astronaut”  
“Wasn’t that your dream?”  
“It was, by the way, is color blindness a hereditary thing?”  
“I’m afraid so”  
“Okay, so he might not fly spaceships, but he can still work for NASA”  
“Who’s looking for a job at NASA?“ they saw Charlie walking up to them, carrying two plates, the cake “I hate to burst your bubble, but that ship has sailed, Mulder.”  
“He’s planing our son’s future” Scully laughed accepting the plate from her brother.  
“So you know it’s a boy?” Charlie was as curious as the rest of the family.  
“For the sake of argument, let’s say it’s a boy”  
“If it’s a girl” Mulder said around a big bite, the sweet frosting was what he loved best “she’s definitely working at NASA, part time, because the rest of it she’s teaching at Harvard, the youngest female physics professor ever!”  
“Wow! What makes you so sure?” Scully turned to look at him, amazed he was so confident about this.  
“She’s your daughter, miss I-rewrote-Einstein” anyone else would say this with sarcasm, not Mulder, he meant every word, forever in awe of his brilliant wife.  
“Whatever, the decision will be hers”  
“Or his”  
“Or his” she agreed. 

 

“The Believer” Mulder answered the phone, keeping the receiver between his ear and shoulder, legal pad in hand, checking inventory with one eye on the shelves.  
“Mulder” Scully sounded breathless and he was on full alert in an instant “Meet me at the hospital”  
“I’m coming home” he was ready to hang up.  
“No” she moaned softly and exhaled slowly before continuing, his heart skipped a beat “cab’s on it’s way, I’ll meet you there”  
“Okay” she hung up before he could say anything else.  
He forgot about the business at hand, left the notebook on the counter and grabbed his jacket, thanking his lucky stars it was still before the 5 p.m. rush hour. He locked up and dialed Mike’s number on his cellphone, who answered on third ring.  
“Mike, I’m closing the bar for now, don’t be surprised when you get here”  
“Is it Doc?”  
“Yeah, looks like it’s time”  
“Good luck boss”  
“We’re gonna need it”  
Mulder hung up and walked into the clinic’s waiting room, heading straight for the reception, the nurse on duty recognized him.  
“Mr Mulder”  
“Hi Jennifer” he was too scared to smile at her “Scully will be here any moment, could you call upstairs and check if doctor Cooper is in”  
“Of course” she picked up the phone handing him some forms to fill out, even Scully as a doctor working there didn’t escape the bureaucracy trap.  
“Yes, I’ll let him know, yes, thank you” the nurse hung up and turned back to Mulder “They’re expecting her, Dr Scully already called them.”  
Of course she did. “Thank you”  
The door behind him opened again and he turned, spotting Scully, small bag in her hand, face twisted in expression of pain. He rushed to her side, the nurse right behind him, grabbing a wheel chair as she passed one.  
He took the bag from her hands and helped her sit down, kneeling in front of her for a moment, brushing the hair from her face, forehead already clammy with sweat.  
“It started so fast” she whispered  
“It’s okay, no need to worry now” he infused his tone with all the confidence he could muster and pressed his lips to her forehead briefly “Let’s get you upstairs”  
He wheeled her towards the bank of elevators and to the fifth floor maternity ward. 

The baby slept peacefully in his arms, his tummy full, concerned with nothing but resting and growing. A little palm was closed around Mulder’s pinky finger as he rocked him gently walking around Scully’s room. They were finally alone, flowers and gifts in every corner of the room.  
After 9 hours of labour, Scully felt surprisingly fine. Sore and tired, but happy, in that quiet way that hummed just bellow the surface of consciousness, painting everything in soft, warm colors. She watched Mulder and marveled, where did he keep all this love. Did he save it up all of his life, storing it locked away in the vault of his heart like a real trust fund. He found her and trusted her and now it was all hers. He looked at the child, looked at her, and his face didn’t change, the same love she usually saw in his face when he looked at her was now directed at their son and she knew, that he will be the most loved baby that ever walked the face of the earth.  
“Why William?” He asked softly, trying not to wake the cute bundle in his arms.  
“After your father” she smiled “and mine”  
“Your father, mine wasn’t much of a role model”  
“He made you, so he had to do something right at some point in his life”  
Mulder watched the baby sleep, feeling him squirm occasionally, and went to sit by her, on the edge of the bed.  
“Little Will” he said with a smile, kissing the baby’s forehead.  
“Where’s Will, there’s a way”  
Their eyes met, and he leaned to kiss this perfect woman, his wife, the love of his life, his best friend and mother of their child. 

William Mulder was born on May 20th, 1996.


	25. Don't You (Forget About Me)

The boy slept on his father's chest, rocked gently by the rhythm of his breath. The basement office was the coolest place in the house and they were hiding here the whole morning while rest of the house backed in July heat.

Scully no longer panicked when she found the house quiet. She left the groceries in the kitchen and went downstairs. Smiling as she saw them, her two sweet boys. Mulder's hand resting protectively on Will's back, if she'd touch him he'd wake instantly.  
Moving the bottle and burp cloth and sitting on the coffee table next to him, she brushing his cheek with the back of her hand.  
"Mulder" she spoke softly, loud enough not to alarm him, hush enough not to wake the baby and he stirred, leaning into into her palm.  
"Hi" his voice thick with sleep but not really disoriented.  
"You should have brought the portable crib down here"  
"I though about it, but he was already asleep"  
"I'll bring it down" she leaned to kiss his lips then Will's tiny temple making him stir and suck on his soother.  
"No, it's okay" Mulder sat up slowly, the baby didn't even noticed the movement "I'll take him upstairs, he should sleep in his own bed anyway" 

The sun was coming up and she caught exactly the right the moment, when the sky outside Will’s window turned pink and orange. Late September filled the air with dew and smell of trees and autumn. Will, relaxed in her arms, finally gave in and fell back asleep. She turned away from the window and drew the blind back down. The light of dawn has done the trick so far, and she used it often to win a few more hours of sleep for herself. The baby already displayed his father’s tendencies, definitely a little night owl in the making.  
She paced back and forth for a moment longer, glancing at Mulder, sleeping in their bed of the other side of the hallway. He kicked the comforter to one side as she watched with a smile, noticing the tenting of the sheet. Still asleep, he covered the growing erection with his hand, stirring, mumbling her name, his palm closing, instinctively trying to relieve some tension. He became restless, an unmistakable moan filling her ears and, for the first time since she had Will, his voice truly woke the desire inside her. She felt herself grow wet, watching as he unconsciously palmed himself, his breathing picking up pace. She had no time to waste.  
She gently laid her boy in his crib, and turned around to join her man in their bed, shedding her robe and night shirt as she went.  
She leaned over him and sizing the moment his hand wandered, reached under the sheet, griping him firmly, squeezing enough to wake him.  
Mulder’s eyes flew open and saw her naked, climbing back next to him. She pressed her naked body against his side and whispered.  
“He just fell asleep” then licked his ear, from earlobe to tip “tell me what you need”  
“You” he choked out as she circled her thumb around the tip of his cock “if you’re ready”  
They’ve been working up to this for the last few weeks “I think I am, see for yourself” she let go of him and took his hand rubbing her wet center agains the tips of his fingers.  
“God I missed this” Mulder breathed, bringing the hand to his lips, tasting her, licking it clean. The look of bliss on his face was quickly replaced with mischief, as he circled her waist and pulled her on top. He could feel her wet center pressed against his skin. “Condom?”  
She shook her head ‘no’  
“But what if?”  
“I doubt that, but even if” she shrugged with a smile.  
“What?” His smile was growing, hands roaming her thighs and back.  
“I would’t mind”  
“Seriously?”  
Instead of answering she reached between them and found him, hard and throbbing with each beat of his heart. She finally was ready to feel him again, without any help. Shifting her hips, she ran the length of him between her moist lips and almost came from the friction against her clit and the look of bliss on his face.  
Mulder’s eyes rolled back at the contact but he stayed still, giving all control to her and her pleasure, but dear God, how he wanted to be back inside her again. He shifted as she did the coating thing again, he did come from it before, but the lubricant they used then, was nothing like this, the real thing, and he wanted more. On her third pas he felt her walls, slowly closing around him, a little different than usual, but oh so amazing.  
“Mulder” her voice was deep, controlled “look at me, Mulder”  
He opened his eyes and watched as she lowered herself onto him and the look on his face must have broken the spell for her, he was in. Scully sat for a moment and breathed, then grabbed his hands and rocked her hips, slowly at first, leaning back, moaning as she did, picking up pace, she was getting herself off on him. She half whimpered half gasped as he swelled inside her, if felt different, took longer to feel him fill her, but she was getting there with him, and fast.  
“Oh God!” She gasped, all the weeks of rediscovering and exploring finally paying off, for both of them.  
“Geez, Scully” he breathed “will you come?”  
“I think” she took his hand and licked his thumb, sucking on it for a moment just to tease him, then brought it down, to her clit “do it”  
He circled her flesh, watching himself disappear inside her, and it was all it took. She dragged him under with a groan on his lips in the shape of her name as her walls pulsed around him.  
She fell forward, resting on his chest, stretching out her legs as she slipped of him, her breath calmed before she reached for tissues to clean herself.  
“I missed this” she sighed searching for his lips  
“You and me both” he agreed, taking the tissues from her and letting them fall on the floor, right next to his own.  
“Mulder” her voice sounded sleepy and happy.  
“Yeah?” He pulled the sheet over them, bodies arranging around each other, awake, asleep, it didn’t matter.  
“I mean it”  
“What?” He felt her smile spread against his skin.  
“I want one more”  
“Baby?”  
“Yeah” Scully finally snuggled comfortably against him, finding her spot “maybe a girl this time?”  
Mulder waited a minute for his throat to unclench “Did I tell you I love you?”  
“Not since last night” she giggled.  
“I love you Scully”  
“I love you too” her lips brushed his shoulder and they fell asleep to the sound of the city waking up to life.  
In the room on the other side of the hallway a little baby boy sucked on his soother, dreaming of galaxies spinning in the sky. 

 

“You wanna answer the phone?” Mulder smiled as Will reached out for the receiver “It’s probably mommy, checking up on us”   
He picked up the reciever saying “Mulder”  
“Hello Mr Mulder, my name is Frank Simak, I’m an editor at the Little Green Publishing”  
“Yes, how can I help you?” It was months since he sent out his manuscript, he almost lost hope anyone read it at all.  
“We received your manuscript some time ago but I must admit only now it really caught my eye, could we meet and talk a little about it?”  
Will reached for the phone and tried to pull it out of Mulder's hand, thinking it’s Scully “Will don’t” he admonished him softly  
“Sure, when and where?”  
“Can you stop by my office this week? Thursday, around 10 a.m. maybe?”  
“Perfect” Will was starting to fuss and whimper, desperate to know who was on the line “Will, come on”  
“I hear you have company” there was a hint of humor in the man’s voice, he must have heard the boy “I won’t keep you any longer”  
“Sorry” Mulder apologized a little embarrassed.  
“It’s quite all right, I have a little girl at home myself. You have our address, Jimmy at the reception will direct you to my office”  
“Thank you, I look forward to meeting you, Mr Simak”  
“Likewise, have a good day”  
“Goodbye”  
Mulder hung up the phone and smiled at Will “Who’s a naughty boy?”   
He leaned down and blew a loud raspberry into the baby’s tummy making him squeal and laugh his bubbliest baby laugh, then did it again, just for fun.  
“Come on, now we need to call your mom” 

“They look legit” Frohike said over his beer “a small operation, published a few things that picked up some momentum, sci-fi novels like most of their portfolio.”  
“And the guy?”  
“He found their biggest hits so looks like the he has a good eye for talent”  
“Look at him” Langly had Will in his lap, letting him play with his scarf “he thinks he’s the next Steven King” he laughed seeing Mulder’s bashful smile.  
“I do not, besides, it’s just a meeting” Mulder tried to manage his expectations but so far failed miserably.  
“Whatever happens, someone noticed the book, and that’s a good sign” Scully smiled, encouraging and supportive, as she was from the start.  
“I’m not quitting my day job” he chuckled “or night job”  
Will reached for Scully and she took him, letting him snuggle into her arms with a little yawn. The game on tv was about to start and she decided to call it a night.  
“We better get going” she said, getting up and letting Mulder take Will for a moment, so she could put her coat on and gather the bag she brought with her.   
Byers helped to dress Will in his little hat and jacket “He’s growing so fast” he mused, stroking the boy’s head one last time.  
Although Frohike was formally Will’s godfather, all three of them felt like they shared a special bond with with this little family that grew in front of them.  
“Better pay attention Mulder” Langly smiled watching how he changed with his son in his arms “before you know it, you’ll be shipping him off to college”  
“That’s a lifetime away” he said kissing Will's forehead and handed him back to Scully over the counter, stealing a kiss from her too.  
“Say goodnight Will” she smiled waving the boy’s little hand for him.  
“Goodnight” the three fairy godfathers sent them off and waved. They passed Alex in the doorway who smiled and winked, holding the door for her.  
"Hey Mulder" he called, stepping inside "some midget is running away with your wife!"  
"Alex, when was the last time someone kicked your ass?" Mulder replied.  
"I wouldn't stop her either, she deserves better than you lot"  
"Sit dow Rat Face" Frohike said, turning to face the tv in the corner "The game's starting"  
"Good boy Toto" Alex made a move as if trying to pat his head but the looks all three Gunmen gave him said he was pushing the line. "Alright, I'm shutting up" he said throwing his hands up in surrender and sat at the bar.  
"Beer" he said shaking Mulder's hand and turned to watch the game with the rest of the gang. 

Frank chuckled watching Mulder pacing in the back room of the bookstore “Calm down”  
It was his first meet and greet and he was fidgeting. _I wish Scully was here_ he thought to himself _she’ll be here, later, just have to make it through till then._  
“You’ll do fine” he opened a bottle of water and sat Mulder down in a chair near by “I’ve been to a million of this things and believe me, there is nothing to be afraid of”  
“Seriously? I got less nervous before FBI board of review hearings”  
“You just proved my point” he smiled, resting one hand on his shoulder “these people are not here to judge, they already love your work, connected to it somehow, and tonight they want to share that love and appreciation with you”  
“You think so?” Mulder was starting to calm down.  
“I know so, believe me, I saw more seasoned writers than you, walk out as nervous as you and come back stoked and ready to write me three novels on the sole rush of the love they just had thrown at them.”  
“This is my home town, there are people who know me, who promised to come here tonight” he admitted, Frank chuckled again.  
“Don’t worry, you’ll read a chapter, answer some questions, sign a few copies and go home. And if this thing works out, we’ll think about traveling to do some more”  
“Okay” Mulder smiled, almost calm. Only those who knew him, would notice him still play with his wedding ring.  
“I was meaning to ask, where’s Dana? She’s not coming tonight?”  
“She’ll be here, after she picks up Will from daycare”  
“Good, very good”  
“It’s her birthday” Mulder smiled “Why don’t you swing by the bar later tonight, we have a little tradition, drinks, cake.”  
“I’d be glad to” Frank glanced at his watch and smiled “It’s time to take this show on the road”  
“Break a leg?” The traditional theater blessing was all he could think of.  
“It won’t be necessary, come on” 

“Come on Sam, it’s why we came here, you can’t back out now”  
“I feel so stupid, he doesn’t care about me, I’m nothing to him”  
“At least you’ll get the book signed” Jesse pushed her up from her chair and forced Sam to stand in line, last.  
This was madness, to bother a stranger because she though he looked familiar? Outrageous, she was not one of those people, she never forced herself on anyone. Heck, she even let people in front of her in the line at the grocery store. Now she was trying to dump her past on a complete stranger? She shouldn’t come here, never listen to Jesse and her bright ideas. Yet truth be told, if it wasn’t for her, Sam would never pick up the book, never look at the back of the dust jacket and read the blurb and be stunned into silence. 

The man in the picture, mid thirties, hazel eyes and brown hair, there was something about him, she didn’t know what exactly. That in and of itself meant nothing, she often had a feeling of being in places before though never knowing how or when she might have been there. Mom took them once on a trip to Martha's Vineyard and she couldn’t shake the sense of immense deja vu, like every corner of the picturesque island looked strangely familiar and was drawing her in, calling to her from the depths of memory lost many years ago.  
Now this, she felt silly talking about it to her sister. She knew she was adopted, of that one thing she was sure, but having no memory or record of her previous life, before she woke up in a hospital, disoriented and weak and not knowing who or where or when she was. The only hint at her identity was a name stitched on the collar of a gown she was wearing when the police found her in the middle of the road on the outskirts of Bellefleur, Oregon.  
After a few weeks at the hospital, she was placed with a foster family, a couple of good people, who took upon themselves to care for lost children and try to give them a second home and a chance, that in their heart, every child deserved.  
The Millers became her new family, trying their best to help her find a way back into the world, fight the terrible dreams that plagued her nights and almost pathological shyness and fear of strangers.  
She was a good child, never causing any trouble, at least not on purpose. There were a few incidents of sleep walking outside the house, roaming the woods and waking up on the front porch, some trouble at school, until everyone realized she’ll never be good at math. Samantha Miller was a calm but suspicious girl, who enjoyed the company of books and a few trusted and hard earned friends.  
It wasn’t until college, when she started looking back into her mysterious past. She found there was more people like her, with similar stories, recurring dreams about traumatic events hidden from them in their past.  
She learned that there were doctors who specialized in hypnosis, using it to help gain access to lost or repressed memories. Went to a few sessions, but all it got her was more confused. The most vivid memory she was able to recover was a bright, white light and a voice in the room, breaking through the roar of the wind and sirens. A young boy calling her name after her.  
After that session she dreamed about him, feeling his pain, her fear and need to go to him, hide behind him, find him, he wanted her to come back. But she couldn’t, all she saw an outline of a gangly teen with brown hair and baseball jersey. The bright light blinded her, leaving his face a mystery, that haunted her at night, and made her wake up with a gasp.  
She wanted to move on, tried to put it behind her, her attempts at searching for the boy seemed futile from the start and she made peace with that. Psychiatrist who helped her since she was found made her realize it was time to focus on her future and embrace the reality of what she gained over the years since she was found.  
She got her diploma and found a job. As a nurse she could help people, something she always wanted to do. When she wasn’t working at the hospital clinic, she worked at the library, roaming through rows of bookshelves, memorizing the index. Her memory wasn’t as bad as one might expect from a person suffering from amnesia, it was quite good in fact. She pulled the books people ordered from shelves, enjoying peace and quiet of the basement. She was beginning to like her life, even had a guy with a cute smile, greeting her warmly, each day she picked up coffee on her way to work.

Just as her life was starting to line up, Jesse found the book and couldn’t shut up about it until Sam agreed to read it. Especially the underlined paragraphs, where some fictional character told about his experience, of memories he accessed under hypnosis, about a girl floating mid-air surrounded by white light, of calling her name. Samantha. Her name.  
“This is fiction” she argued, “what makes you think this guy didn’t read about this somewhere and just put it in his book because it fitted his story, a mystery to round out the plot. It’s a sci-fi novel about alien abductees, multiple homicide and two young FBI agents who were thrown in the middle of it.”  
“But Oregon, the name, the story, a brother looking for his sister. Don’t you think it looks too perfect to be a lie? And look at the guy, he’s the right age, what if parts of it are autobiographical.”  
“And he’d put it in a cheap sci-fi novel for what? Fame and fortune? I admit, it’s a good read, sucked me in from page one, but come on, even I’m not that naive.”  
“You want to leave it? Let it go without even trying to talk to him?”  
“Think about it, he’ll think I’m trying to sue him, claim he somehow used my personal experience without permission or something like that. I would think that and from what he wrote, he’s more than a little paranoid. What makes you think he won’t start lying his ass off to protect his work?”  
“Oh my God, you’re impossible. How about it somehow really is autobiographical, at least in that part and he’s dying to know, if maybe his little sister found his book, and read his words and somehow someday, he’ll meet her.”  
“You watch too many rom-coms.”  
“He’s cute.” Jesse's last attempt to convince her made Sam burst out laughing.  
“A second ago he was my brother”  
“A second ago he was not?”  
“Please, have you read the dedication?”  
“Okay, I see your point. But come on! I wanna meet the guy, he has a book signing scheduled in two weeks and I have no one to go with! Please Sam! Do this for me!”  
“You like him! From one picture, you like him.”  
“I like his characters.”  
“Yeah, keep telling yourself that.”  
“Please sis, please please please” Jesse was pulling at her sleeve like a five year old, goofing around, knowing she almost got her sister convinced.  
“Okay, when is it exactly, and where.”  
“February the 23rd, I’ll get back to you with where”  
“I still think this is pure fiction”  
“So we’ll have a chance to ask.”

Mulder took the chair that stood on a stairway landing, the stairs leading to a gallery going all around the small, intimate book store. This was his kind of place, holding books for years on it’s shelves, not just the most recent crime and romance, that came and went like a new fashion trend. This place had style and history and it instantly took the edge of the fear he felt.  
The crowd wasn’t large. Mulder spotted a few regulars from the bar, members of local MUFON chapter, and some faces were completely new to him, but it didn’t matter. Scully wasn’t there yet, but he knew she’d come. Will was looking a little under the weather that morning and she wanted a friend at the hospital to take a look at him, just in case.  
“Good evening” he greeted his audience breaking open the book laid out on the table next to him.  
“I apologize for breaking the spine” he joked, looking at the owner who stood Near by, the woman smiled and waved her hand dismissively, ‘no problem’  
“Good, they won’t kick me out” a low laugh came from the crowd “it’s a cool place, don’t you think? A little like library, a little book stores like this keep the connection to the past and make books feel intimate, not just a product you pick up at the supermarket or airport or wherever. Writing this book felt very intimate to me, so thanks for having me and thank you all for coming. I will read you a little excerpt and then try to answer some questions, but I have no idea what would you like to hear, any favorites?”  
“The highway scene!” Someone called from the floor.  
“Which one?” Mulder chuckled and found the page “Maybe we’ll do them both.” 

He signed over 50 copies of his book, gathering praise for his characters and fascinating story, people quoted their favorite lines to him and more than once asked if his characters were falling in love and if he’ll continue the story in books to come.

"Who should I dedicate this to?" He asked for the up-tenth time, opening the book on the front page, pen in hand.  
"To Samantha and Jess" the coincidence made him smile and he was about to say something, but the girl beat him to it.  
"How much of it is true?" she asked.  
"You mean does things like that happen to people, they do, that much is true."  
"No, I mean the childhood memory part, the girl, the white light, the boy unable to move"  
That gave Mulder pause, he looked up at the two women, noticing they were last in line. The younger one, a blonde, was asking questions, direct and curious but not hostile. She seemed like someone who got invested in stories a little too much and took them to heart, treating the characters as real people, but it wasn't her who spiked Mulder's interest. The girl behind her, maybe Scully's age, long, wavy brown hair, hazel eyes, taller than average. Something about her looked familiar, he didn't know how, but he must have seen her somewhere before, perhaps at the bar?  
"Why do you ask?"  
"Come here" she said pulling her friend to front "My sister had a similar experience"  
Mulder's breath suddenly caught somewhere between his mouth and his lungs, heart beating fast, she really looked like he might know her somehow. He stood up and measured the woman from head to toe "How similar"  
Before she answered the bell jangled and Langly held the door for Scully, carrying Will on her arm. She greeted the Gunmen, left her ubiquitous this days bag with them and turned to Mulder. Their eyes met and he stopped her with a small gesture of one hand, making her take notice of the scene, his attention back on the woman before him.  
"Please, you're Samantha, right?" She nodded "tell me about your experience." She hesitated, pulling at the trim of her navy blue shawl.  
"This is off the record if you want” he tried to appease her “I won't use it in a book if that's what you're afraid of."  
"I’m not afraid and I know this sounds crazy, you probably just wrote it, as a plot device" she dropped her gaze, probably embarrassed by her sister being too forward, but her voice washed over him like a bucket of cold water, his mother's voice, the same tone "this is very private and I'm not even sure if the memories are true."  
"Hypnosis?" Mulder's brain was in fifth gear, Scully watched them walking over slowly.  
"Yes, I woke up in a hospital in Bellefleur, Oregon, in 1973, the doctors think I was maybe nine years old at the time, I couldn't tell because I couldn't remember who I was, I just had my name, Samantha"  
"What happened?"  
"They couldn't say, medically I was fine" she looked up at him "Jesse's family took me in, and few years back, I saw this doctor who worked with people who had problems like me, and he tried to help me access old memories"  
"Of the night you were taken"  
"So it would seem"  
Scully reached the table and was looking at them from a few steps away, listening to the conversation.  
"What did you remember? White light, loud sounds?  
"And a presence in the room" she finished for him "the thing that was pulling me away and a boy, calling my name, brown hair"  
"Baseball jersey" he finished and Scully's eyes widened, Will sneezed softly and all eyes turned to her.  
"Mulder, what's going on?" She asked hesitant, looking between him and the woman, trying to find a reasonable explanation for the fact that they had the same eyes, the same full lower lip, even their stance was somewhat similar.  
"Scully, this is Samantha" he looked at the woman waiting for her to fill in hr last name.  
"Miller, Samantha Miller" she said, deciding if she was trusting this man with her secrets, he might as well know her name.  
"This is my wife, Dana Scully and my son, Will" the boy was reaching for him with a toothless smile and he walked over to take him, kissing his forehead "Scully, tell me I'm crazy" he whispered cautiously.  
"Mulder, you're not" Scully replied with a small smile then stepped closer and shook hands with both women "I think we have a lot to talk about, Mrs Miller. Would you like to join us for a drink? Both of you are invited of course" she added smiling at Jesse, who looked like someone who got more than she bargained for.  
"There'll be cake" Mulder said hopefully, trying his best to win them over without scaring them away.  
"Chocolate?" Sam smiled for the first time, and the dimples in her cheeks were like a mirror reflection of the smile Scully saw every day and loved more than sunlight.  
"Of course, there’s no other worth our while.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Simple Minds -"Don't You (Forget About Me)"


	26. Love Is Strong

It felt a little awkward. Neither of them quite knew what to expect or how to behave.  
Samantha sounded distant when she recounted the recovered memories of her past. She was pulling her walls up, afraid of what she might find out by confronting them with those of Mulder’s past. For all she knew her parents could be abusive monsters and her mind was conjuring stories to explain things done to her. Maybe this man was just someone who looked a little like her and had a vivid imagination that somehow aligned with hers. They were after all of similar age and what impacted his youth probably impacted her as well.  
Mulder was cautious, calm and friendly on the outside, but inside eager for details. He saw it now, if he were a poet he'd say it's in her eyes, but really it was in the way she held herself, sitting on the edge of the couch, back straight, legs elegantly folded to one side. The way she nibbled on the cake, small bites gracefully transferred from plate to her mouth, manners, 'mind your manners Samantha'. Mother insisted on eating with fork and knife in both hands. The way a lady should behave, the way their mother had taught her. He'd ask about it, but that would probably creep her out, and understandably so. Instead he asked about her new life, what she does, where she went to school, general stuff, things people talk about when they first meet. When she spoke about that, she looked more confident and relaxed.  
Will slept between his parents on the couch, Mulder gently stroking his back, something that soothed and calmed both of them.  
"Are you married?" Mulder asked, but felt stupid instantly, she wore no ring, he should notice that.  
"No, still looking for that Mr. Right" she replied smiling "and how long have you two been together?"  
"Three years" Scully said warmly, she was watching them carefully, and decided, sister or not, she liked his two women regardless. Jesse with her quiet supportive manner and Samantha, calm, unassuming and showing glimpses of that chuckle-less humor she found in Mulder "William will be one in May"  
"And you're a doctor?" Scully nodded "can I just ask, and please, don't be offended" _oh boy, here we go_ she thought suppressing a chuckle "Fox introduced you as Dana Scully, you call him by his last name, he calls you by your middle name, what's with that?"  
Scully turned to Mulder "It really is confusing"  
"You wanna legally change your first name?" his tone was playful, as if she was about to do this specifically for him.  
"My mom would love that." They both laughed and Mulder got up, gathered their glasses, and went to refill their drinks.  
"Scully is my maiden name, my middle name is Kathrine, and he refuses to give anything up, so I'm Scully to him and our friends, Dana to my family, and Dr. Mulder at work to my patients"  
"And why do you call him by his last name?"  
"He likes it that way, and I'm used to it, I guess it's as good a pet name as any other" her smile softened as she watched Will stir. Scully laid her hand on his tummy and he relaxed instantly.  
"And how should I call you?" Samantha asked, confident now she will see this people again, there was something about them that inspired trust.  
"Dana is perfectly fine, it's what my sister calls me, and I hope we will see more of you in the future, I really look forward to that.”  
Touched by her warmth, Sam thought, that if she indeed had a brother, she'd be happy he found someone like her. "You have a beautiful boy"  
"Thank you, he's our little miracle" Scully smiled back, again noticing Mulder's kindness in her eyes "but I guess all parents say that about their children"  
Scully hesitated for a second but decided to push on as gently as possible "Can I ask you something as well, and please, if it makes you uncomfortable tell me so"  
"Ask, we'll see about the answer" the martini was making her confident.  
Jesse sat quietly at her side, they talked about this situation on their way here from the bookstore, and her opinion was clear, there was something odd going on here, and it's either the most cosmic coincidence in the history of intelligent life or she really might have found the family she lost, through a book picked up at random in a store by her step sister, on a post-Christmas sale. In other words, it must be fate. Jesse was always the romantic one and Samantha loved her for that.  
"Do you see or feel anything that might indicate that you could be in fact brother and sister?"  
"I don't know, what do you think?"  
"There are ways to determine that objectively" there was no hostility in that statement, just frankness, the truth that was not meant to hurt "but I won't suggest anything, until you're sure you want this."  
"We want to know you" Mulder said coming in slowly, drinks in hand almost forgotten as he heard the end of their conversation "we can start with being friends if you want, whatever you're comfortable with"  
He put the drinks on the table and sat down next to Scully, his arm going around her back, her hand on his thigh, almost reflexively  
"I know this is strange, we both lived our lives separately, and you can't just go from being complete strangers to family. Heck, you might think I'm a jerk and have nothing to do with me once you get to know me better" he looked up and she smiled, telling him that was definitely not happening here "I just want this chance know you too and maybe be friends"  
"You haven't told me one thing yet" Samantha lowered her eyes, reaching for the drink to buy some time.  
"Ask me anything" Mulder was ready now, this was the hardest part.  
"If we're really siblings, what about our parents?" She looked up and watched sadness fill his eyes.  
"Sadly, they've both passed away, father in the fall of 1994, heart attack, and mom died last year, in January, before Will was born."  
"Were they looking for me?"  
There it was, the most painful truth of his life, the source of shame and pain and the corner stone of his future life. The truth he couldn't hide, because he couldn't lie, not to her, not to Scully, not to anyone "They did not."  
"Why?" Her voice was low, almost lost among the hum of the bar.  
"I don't know, and I think we'll never find out"  
Scully took his hand and in silent sign of support, laced her fingers through his. If she wasn't with him, he'd probably never have the guts to say this. He'd fear the consequences of the last part of his inheritance.  
Samantha sipped her drink, fighting the tears that stung her eyes. Her real parents gave up on her, what kind of person does that, how could they, and now they were gone, forever a mystery, leaving them both with this great unknown. She looked at the man in front of her, his wife and their son, and saw his pain, her care and their hope. He did look for her, he remembered, and if she'd believe what she saw in this place, he was a good man, and an honest one, a trait she looked for in anyone she met. She sat her glass on the table, blinked away the tears and got up, it was getting late and the boy probably needed his bed.  
"Let's meet again." She said with confidence, making his head spring up, hope quickly replacing fear on his face.  
"Whenever you want" he said, voice cracking once, Scully smiled at her as they stood up.  
"Can we meet here?"  
"Sure, I'm here almost every night, and if not, we live near by" he was enthusiastic now.  
"Great martinis" she smiled and reached out her hand to him, he took it.  
"Thank you for giving me this chance" Mulder said.  
"Thank you, for not giving up on me" Samantha replied, her grip firm and confident.  
"Never" 

 

Scully held Will in her arms, standing halfway up the stairs, trying to distract him with framed pictures decorating the wall. A slight fever, constant drooling, gnawing on toys, Will was irritable and moody and didn't know what he wants. His baby teeth were coming and it wasn't fun, for neither of them.  
"Look Will" she said pointing to a small photograph "who's this?"  
He chewed on a plastic ring filled with cool water, only half of his attention on the teenage boy and a girl with long brown hair.  
"It's your dad and aunt Sam" she said moving up a few step, to a picture he particularly liked.  
The picture was taken one weekend, when Mulder took her to visit an exhibition at the Smithsonian titled “Monsters In The Deep”. They stood in front of a huge rubber statue of Big Blue, laughing at a story Mike told them just before taking the picture.  
"And this?" she smiled wiping his chin with the back of her hand "who's in this picture?"  
She brought him a little closer so he could see them, the creature was two times their height.  
"That's daddy, Big Blue, and" she said slowly pointing at Mulder then the monster.  
Will reached out and covered her with his little, wet hand "Mah".

Holding on to the edge of the coffee table Will stood up, Scully on he couch behind him, kept her hands instinctively on alert, ready to catch.  
Mulder often laughed, how they both developed this amazing multitasking skill. There they were, sitting in The Believer's lounge, talking about a series of unexplained disappearances he was writing about for the Lone Gunman, and at the same time, they both watched Will, as he tried to walk on his own. He was crawling for a month now, a little devil on all fours, literally everywhere the moment they let him out of their sight. Now he was pulling Mulder's notes from the manila folder handing them to Scully, one sheet at a time.  
"You,re not suggesting this guy somehow managed to come back every thirty years to feed"  
"How else can you explain the fingerprints?" She fell silent trying to think of some other explanation, but he took it as a sign of her giving in to his reasoning "first thing I learned at the academy, every fingerprint is unique"  
"People don't hibernate Mulder" her tone was a little exasperated.  
As they argued Will shuffled around the table, reached the corner and to their surprise, let go and took the four wobbly steps towards Mulder, arms wide for balance.  
"Dah" the boy breathed out one syllable just as his knees buckled and Mulder caught him, by virtue of long arms. He looked at his son as he picked him up into his lap, baby hands wrapping around his neck, then up at Scully. If his sight wasn't all blurry, he'd see tears of joy in her eyes.

 

“Is he sleeping?” Mulder asked as Scully sauntered down the stairs to the office. Afternoon nap was their time.  
“Like a little angel” she replied leaning over the desk, her lips glistening, plump, invitingly red.  
“Come here” he stopped what he was doing and took her face in his hands, parting her lips with his tongue. The kiss was slow, languid, revisiting all corners he knew and loved. He kissed her like it was their first time, tentative at first, growing bold with her permission, encouragement even. He kissed her as if it was all he could get and wanted to make most of it, before the moment passed.  
Scully climbed on all fours, going over the desk and hanging her legs on his side, feet resting on the seat of his chair. She wore loose shorts, barely covering her ass.  
Mulder’s hands moved lower, down her neck, ghosting over her collarbones framed in the low cut of her top, then cupping her breasts for a moment. She moaned into his mouth and broke the kiss, leaning back. Resting on elbows on the wide desk, her ass hung of the edge of it anyway. She spread her thighs, skimpy fabric doing nothing to protect her secret. She wore shorts, and nothing else, he could see her auburn, neatly trimmed hair peeking at him, teasing.  
“Well my love, I see you came prepared”  
“I want you to make me come with your mouth” she said with a wicked gleam in her eyes, they didn’t have time for guessing games.  
He reached to pull the shorts off, but she stopped him “leave them”  
“Why?” He asked slowing her down, kissing his way up her thigh, licking the sensitive skin, nibbling sometimes. She was used to getting what she wanted when she asked for it, but this question took her a little by surprise, they were negotiating. That always was fun.  
“You want me naked?” She asked sensing a fantasy of his she must have overlooked somehow. His wolfish smile was devastatingly hot “stretched out on your desk?”  
She teased pulling her shirt up, letting him mark every inch of reveled skin with kisses. “You want to eat me like lunch at the office? Between case files and pencils, reports and shells of sunflower seed?” Her short t-shirt hit the floor, as she puled it over her head, laying back and stretching out across the cool surface of the desk, head and arms thrown back, chest pushed out, nipples hard like candy surrounded by marshmallow soft flesh. He wanted to lick them, suck them, he wanted to eat her.  
“I want you dripping wet for me” Mulder ran his fingernails over the underside of her breasts.They felt bigger since she was breast feeding and he hoped they’d stay this way. Cupped in his hands the hardened peaks felt like a pebbles embedded in velvet “I want you to tell me to hurry up already”  
He teased her sides, hooked his thumbs back under the waistband, her foot resting on his shoulder “Are you ready for me Doc?”  
“Hurry up Mulder” she breathed looking up. He pulled her shorts off and dived in, first with his mouth, then with his cock.  
They moved the desk a good eight inches before they were done. 

Scully found Mulder sleeping on the couch in Will’s room. Arms folded over his chest, breathing even. Will was awake, sitting in his bed, looking through a book about planes, trains and automobiles. One side of the crib was pulled down and he could crawl out if he wanted to, but he didn’t. He reached for her as she knelt by his bed and she picked him up, sitting crosslegged on the floor.  
“Hello baby” she kissed his forehead “are you keeping an eye on your daddy tonight?”  
“Boo” Will turned away from her, pointing to the book he dropped.  
“Sorry, here, show me what you’re reading” she gave the boy his book back.  
“Ca” Will pointed to a picture of a cartoon racing car speeding around the track. “Wroom”  
“Yeah, race car, goes really fast” he turned a page, then another, until he reached a picture of a space rocket.  
“Wroom” he said again smiling and pointing again to his bed “Wroooom”  
She looked again and saw what he wanted, a new toy, a little plastic Apollo model.  
“Daddy got this for you?” She asked handing him the toy.  
“The Gunmen did” Mulder said sleepily from the couch “they dropped by earlier today to talk”  
“About what?”  
Mulder sat up and rubbed his face “They were looking again into some old reports, medical records”  
“Who’s records?” She didn’t like the sound of that.  
“Samantha” he said quietly.  
“Mulder, that’s illegal, even to do once.”  
“I had to know Scully” his tone was hushed, he wasn’t proud of what he’d done “why do you think I trusted her from the start”  
“You said again, why they were looking into it again”  
“I asked them to go through it like a missing person case, before we only checked the facts.”  
“Mulder, you have to promise me you won’t do anything like that ever again” her tone was serious “If you get caught”  
“We won’t”  
“Did you find anything other, than what she already told us?”  
“No, what she said was true, she had no memory of what happened to her, who she was or where she came from, it’s like she never existed”  
“Your parents reported her missing, she was in the system, when she was placed with child services they must have checked if anyone was looking for her”  
“I’m sure they did, but someone went to a lot of trouble to keep the questions from connecting with the right answers”  
“What do you mean?”  
“When Langly searched for her by any other way than specific name and date of birth, her missing persons file never showed up. It’s like you could find her only if you knew you were looking for her, that’s what I did when I created the X-file for her disappearance” Will got up and went to find another book.  
“So what are you saying” Scully got up of the floor and sat on the couch next to Mulder. Will climbed into his lap and started to look through his next book.  
“For some reason someone must have buried those files, to keep anyone from finding her”  
“Wouldn’t it be easier to destroy them?”  
“I wondered about that too” Mulder’s arms tightened around Will “What if I’m putting her in danger by contacting her” he looked at Scully suddenly scared “or you, I can’t risk that”  
“Mulder, calm down”  
“I need to know the truth” he got what he wanted and it frightened him, to see him like this was breaking her heart.  
“The truth is she found you” she wrapped her arm around him and kissed his cheek “whatever they did to keep you two apart, it didn’t work.”  
Mulder was shaking, Will looked up at his dad, question in his baby blue eyes. His mother’s eyes.  
“Mulder, look at me” Scully took his face in her hands and held his gaze “you’ve been seeing her for months now, if someone keeps tabs on her, they’d know by now. Nothing happened, we’re safe”  
“Are you sure about that?”  
“Yes” she covered his lips with hers for long enough to feel him relax.  
When she let go, he too let go of his fear. The Gunmen told him the same thing, and if she came to similar conclusions as they, he decided to trust her.  
She kissed him again quickly and looked down at the boy, still sitting in his dad’s lap “Come on Will, time for your bath”  
That made Mulder laugh for the first time that night, no conspiracy theory was big enough to get in the way of Will’s bed time. 

The next day Mulder made a trip to the shooting range, to practice, just in case. 

Around lunchtime Alex was supposed to deliver a carton of vodka to The Believer. As agreed with Mulder, Mike was there to pick it up. After few rounds of usual banter, he went about his business, he had places to be, people to blackmail.  
He bumped into a tall, dark haired woman on the sidewalk, three steps from Mulder’s place and recognized her instantly.  
“Diana, what are you doing here”  
“I was about to ask you the same thing” she said throwing hair back over her shoulder, her expression filled with contempt.  
“Don’t test me woman, we had an agreement” his anger was bubbling to the surface.  
“I don’t work for them anymore” her tone was cold, unused to explaining herself.  
“Good for you, but our deal is still on”  
“You know he found her” she was here planing to take advantage of this unlikely turn of events, Mulder was always easier when he got what he wanted.  
“Yeah, so?”  
“You think you can protect them both?” She tried to play dumb, by off chance he didn’t know how she got out from the Syndicate’s paws.  
“Don’t make me laugh, the old projects are gone, Spender is dead, the aliens are gone. News flash sister, the war got canceled.”  
“In that case there’s no reason for me to stay away from Fox.”  
“I know you tried to get to him before”  
“Who told you that” instantly defensive, she took a step back.  
“Three little dwarfs” he hooked his arm under hers, pulling her away not so gently “our deal still stands, you stay away from him, all of them.”  
“I have no business with Samantha, she’s nothing to me”  
“I mean his wife and son” that made her stop “What? You didn’t know?”  
Of course she knew, but the fact that Alex was willing to protect them as well took her by surprise.  
“Cute kid, eyes like his mom’s”  
“And you are what, their guardian angel now?”  
“More like the devil, who’ll hunt you down if you try to come closer than a mile to any of them”  
“You love him that much?” She smirked, she always though love was the greatest weakness of them all.  
“That’s not the point, there are some debts you honor, no matter the personal cost” he looked at her with contempt reserved for only the lowest of scum “not that you’d know anything about that, you double-crossing harlot”  
Diana’s eyes burned with cold flame “How’s Marita these days Alex?” His eyes widened “Does she know you swing both ways?”  
“How do you know about her?” Marita was dead, the last victim of the project, the cure he found came too late to save her.  
“What do you think? Who got her enlisted for the project, she was a very promising subject” his eyes went cold, colder than the Antarctic Sea as her tone turned venomous “you keep me away from mine, I kept you away from yours”  
Alex didn’t say a word, he just let her go. Diana didn’t wait to gloat, she walked away, convinced that she won. 

Mulder answered the phone, setting down the carton Alex delivered the day before “The Believer”  
“Mulder, it’s Skinner” he man’s tone was grave, sad even.  
“Hello Walter, what can I do for you” assistant director of the FBI didn’t usually call him to chat.  
“It’s about Diana Fowley, I have some bad news” Mulder’s face fell, this wasn’t going to end well.  
“What happened”  
“She was found dead in her apartment, shot through the window, long range sniper round.”  
“Any idea who might be behind it?”  
“Not yet, we’re waiting for the ballistic report, we might call you in to answer some questions, just a routine thing, no need to worry about it”  
“Of course, you know how to find me”  
“How’s Dana and Will?”  
“They’re fine, the kid started walking” Mulder said, there was warmth in his voice, but also a great deal of sadness.  
“They grow up so fast” Skinner mused, gave his best wishes to his family and ended the call.  
Mulder hung up and stood still for a moment, his head hung low.  
“God rest your soul, Diana” he said quietly to no one and went back to stocking the cupboard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Rolling Stones - Love Is Strong


	27. Everlong

The crowd. Look at it from the outside and it's baffling, terrifying, but on the inside, it’s a rush. To be a part of the crowd, one cell of this living, screaming organism, connected by common purpose, connected by love of the live, the love of life. Here everyone’s nameless, nobody cares about him and he feels safer than he ever felt before.  
The drums set the pace, guitars pick it up, and as the music swells and the crowd explodes, he explodes with it. Like atoms clashing, faster and faster, their energy fed by waves of sound. The vibrations go straight through him to boil the marrow of his bones and once again he feels the rush that laid dormant in his cells, from that first little half of DNA that made him. The energy is never lost, only transformed, and here, now, it is reborn. Every time, that’s what he came for, from that first time, it’s a fix, it’s a way out.  
The music quiets for a second, the calm eye of the storm above him, building up for one last push. It’s primal, it’s childlike, it’s joy like no other. We are one, we are the crowd.

_17 years ago..._

The crowd surrounds him, frantic, mad, all thought lost, trampled under steel-toed boots and drowned in waves of ear splitting noise. He's thrashing, running in circles, bouncing off of other people, other atoms, it’s like a new state of matter, like solid, liquid or gas. He spins around, the circle grows tight, a fist appears out of nowhere, hits his jaw, but before he hits the ground, someone’s there to fight back. A young face, a long arm, selfless fist slams the face of hate. Someone pulls him up again, he jerks away, hits back, the right person? He doesn’t know, no time to think, ducks, grabs the arm that tries to reach the face of one who stands beside him. Too slow, he’s hit, square in the stark cheekbone below wide hazel eye. Fight them, black eye for an eye.  
Someone pulls him away, out of the crowd, the cold air sobers them both. Before they know, they’re in the back of a cop car.  
“You okay?” He asks.  
“I’ll live” you reply, feeling your ribs with every inhale. A sharp stabbing pain, stick to shallow breaths.  
“I’m Mulder by the way” he says, wincing as he feels his face.  
“Alex, Alex Krycek”

The bench was hard, the cell stank of sick, piss and he had to stop himself there before he even started to contemplate what else. He’s too old for this, they both are.  
“What are you thinking?” Alex asked sitting on the floor behind him, back against the wall.  
“About my son… about his mother” Mulder’s voice was low, coarse, barely audible, screaming for two hours could do that to anyone.  
“We’re fucked” a hint of amusement sneaked into his tone and Mulder must have picked it up, agreeing wryly.  
Alex smiled to himself, in reality it was something he always admired, but could never learn. To take full responsibility for his actions. Tonight, just like that first night when they met in England, Mulder stood by his side in the crowd.  
“Scully’s pregnant, did I tell you that?”  
“No, since when?”  
“Almost two months” Mulder sighed, covering his eyes from the glare of overhead lights “I just found out yesterday”  
“Fuck”

They stood in front of the police station, Mulder offering him a cigarette, the match struggling against the drizzle.  
“You wanna get a drink?” Alex asked without much hope “I owe you one”  
Mulder took a long drag and blew the smoke slowly into the night sky, letting the rain cool his face “Sure, why not”  
Friday evening turned into Saturday morning, but campus life only began to die down. They found a place at the bar, ordered beer without saying much to each other. Silence came easily when your ears were still ringing from music. Mulder looked at himself in the mirror behind the bar. A large red bruise was forming under his right eye. He touched the skin around it and winced, grimaced, sucked in a breath, wincing again, his whole face was starting to hurt. He thought that if he’d take a picture of his face every day from now, he could make a movie and title it ‘The Ripening In Reverse’.  
“Can we get some ice?” Alex called to the bartender, who at first shook his head but soon brought a plastic bag full of ice and couple of paper towels.  
“This isn’t a hospital” he said darkly, making it clear that he didn’t want any trouble.  
“Sure man, no problem, whisky for me and my buddy here as well, thanks” the man went about their drinks and Alex picked up the bag, wrapping towels around it and cautiously pressed it against Mulder’s face.  
“Hold it like this” Mulder’s palm covered his for a second, sending a flash of warmth through him. He had soft, warm hands that probably never knew hard work.  
“Thanks” he sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.  
“You’re not from here, are you, school?”  
“With deductive powers like that” Mulder reached for the whiskey and saluted him, downed the drink in one gulp without taking the ice packet away from his face “you should be a detective”  
Alex was fluent in sarcasm so instead of punching him, he just chuckled and tossed back his drink with ease passed to him from his ancestors on his mother's side, God rest her Russian soul.  
“You’re not from here either” small talk never was Mulder’s strongest point, he always turned into Captain Obvious.  
“No, looks like we’re both aliens” somehow that made Mulder laugh, only for a second before he cursed and hid back behind the ice.  
“Don’t make me laugh, it hurts too much”  
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Alex started to sound concerned.  
“Yeah, I had worse, trust me”  
“You don’t look like a frequent brawler”  
“I started early”  
Whiskey took the edge off the pain, his own injuries weren’t as visible, and to be honest, he felt worse for damaging that pretty face “So what are you studying?”  
“Psychology” Mulder sipped his beer but it didn’t help quite as much as whiskey “you?”  
“Just visiting a friend”  
“And where’s your friend now?”  
“He stood me out” actually it was Alex who bailed on the clingy couch-potato and his wine and cheese night.  
“Shame on him, he missed all the fun” he gave Alex a small but genuine smile, and though his face was numb and bruised, he was still a good deal more handsome than Mathew The Sloth.  
A loud group of people stumbled through the door, four men and a woman. One of them came to the bar to order and the rest headed for a booth at the far end of the room. The woman recognized Mulder as she passed them, all long legs and feline grace, hands in pockets of her trench coat like she couldn’t care less. Mulder saw her through the mirror and sighed.  
“Mulder, fancy finding you here” she smiled and it looked more mean than nice.  
“Hello Phoebe” Mulder mumbled and Alex watched as his face fell through clouds of shame and landed somewhere south of dejection with it’s parachute not quite open.  
“You’re not following me, are you” her mocking tone was instantly annoying “because that would really make things interesting”  
“You give yourself too much credit” Alex spoke up and the woman looked at him as if only now she realized he was there.  
“And you are?” she met his cold gaze and sunk her red nails in the suede surface of a tiny purse.  
Alex looked her up and down, not even trying to hide the contempt he felt for her and her kind, walking over good men, picking ones who won’t fight their charms, chewing them over just to spit them out.  
“My name’s Move Along, no one here will buy what you’re selling” he said then turned back to his beer, and Mulder, with his mouth slightly open, followed, leaving Phoebe to her anger as she walked away, not used to be dismissed, but to proud to admit it.  
A pair of hazel eyes stared at Alex through the mirror behind the bar, questioning what just happened.  
“She didn’t ask what happened to you” he said as Mulder turned over the ice packet, closing his mouth “was I wrong?”  
“No, thank you”  
“Anytime man, anytime”

The steel cage door squealed as the guard led them out and a few seconds later a small redhead was storming through the corridor, her eyes frantic, hands reaching for the man who walked to meet her, slipping the wedding band back onto his finger.  
“Mulder, are you okay?”  
“I’m alright Doc, calm down” She gently took his face in her hands, examined the cuts and bruises then kissed his forehead, quickly, once.  
“Thank God, and you Alex?” She asked turning to him.  
“I’m fine” he waved her off, smiling a little, knowing that as soon as her first fear was dispelled she’ll get angry.  
“What the hell happened to you two?”  
“A misunderstanding, heat of the moment, the other guy was drunk” Mulder started to explain but Alex stopped him.  
“Someone tried crowdsurfing, someone was kicked in the head, took it for a punch, we just happened to stand there, one thing lead to another, the usual”  
“The usual?” Her eyes widened “this happened before?”  
“Well” Alex had to hide from that ice blue gaze filled with fury of a pregnant woman worried about her man, he wished someone cared for him like that.  
“We’re okay, Doc, don’t worry, it’s just some cuts and bruises” Mulder pulled her into his arms and she stayed there, as Alex watched them.  
“Come on, both of you” she said a moment later “no one’s pressing charges, you’re free to leave”  
“Come on Alex” Mulder smiled trying not to open the cut on his lip “we’ll drop you off at your place”  
“No, thanks, I have some place I need to be”  
“Okay, suit yourself”  
They left the precinct together, Scully’s arm around Mulder’s waist, his around her shoulders, whispering concern and reassurance.  
Alex thought about them going home, Mulder kissing his son, making love to his wife, pregnant with his second child. The kind of happiness he was forever denied. 

“This is your new assignment” Alex pushed a nondescript envelope over the counter and she looked inside.  
“Berlin” Diana’s eyes widened and a smile spread over her face “Europe?”  
“Yeah, you’ll transfer immediately, the political changes there are threatening the project, you’ll find the picture of your new mark inside”  
Her face fell as she realized what he meant.  
“What, you thought it’s a promotion? It’s reassignment” Alex couldn’t help himself, he wanted to gloat. “Don’t look so disappointed, you’re not fooling anyone”  
“At least he was good looking, and a good lay” her tone was dismissive, and as much as he understood her job, seeing his friend treated like a mark rubbed him in all the wrong ways.  
“Listen” Alex turned to look her in the eye “Once you’re gone, you’re gone. I don’t want to see you anywhere near him, do you understand?”  
“What makes you think he won’t want me back?” There was a hint of challenge there, she suspected Alex’s feelings were something more than just curiosity.  
“He won’t, and if you try to weasel your way back to him, you know I have ways to make you regret it, terminally.”  
“What’s the deal here Alex?” she finally dropped the mask of temptress “Why are you so interested in some low rank UFO-chasing FBI agent?”  
“That’s none of your business”  
“You want my job or something?”  
Neither of them believed in The Cause, she wanted power The Elders promised, he wanted to survive, it was what he’d done best.  
When Alex was recruited because of his skills and Russian connections he never dreamed of the things he’s be smuggling, alien tech, bio weapons, heck, even a piece of genuine alien remains.  
When he heard the name Mulder for the first time in years he was amazed. Mentioned in passing by his superiors, someone they were interested in, who needed to be handled, but not killed, which was something of a relief. If indeed Mulder had to be eliminated, he’d be on Alex’s to-do list, and that would really be unfortunate. World was a really small place sometimes.  
He followed The Curious Case Of An Old Friend closely, watching him ‘being handled’ by a woman as ruthless as she was beautiful. What she did to Mulder was disgusting. Feeding his fear, spreading false hope, making him run in circles every time he as much as touched the handle of the right door. That was her job, to lift him just high enough to make it hurt as he fell down. It was one thing to hear about strangers being used and abused, and completely different to hear it was being done to a friend, someone Alex held dear, even from a distance. A man’s good heart could always be used against him, and Mulder head a heart the size of an 18-wheel truck.  
“There are things you don’t know, things he did in the past he never told you about, not even now, when you presumably got so close, that he might consider marriage, if I heard right”  
“You talk like you know him personally” Diana’s eyes widened and she burst out laughing “you fell in love with my target!”  
He let her calm down, she didn’t matter anymore, Germany wasn’t where the real action was anyway, but she didn’t know that. Men always got chatty after a good fuck, no matter where they came from, and she was there to listen. They dialed her number and she forwarded their intel. Whatever she imagined, that was her role, nothing more. She finished her martini, gathered her things and left, information about her new lover safely tucked away in her purse.  
Two weeks later a moving truck parked in front of Alex’s building. He met an old friend in the elevator, and before they reached ground floor, they were having drinks that night.

Alex sat on a bench, watching the water. The face of the moon was just a tiny crescent, it’s reflection distorted by ripples of cold darkness. He thought about Marita, the unlikely blonde beauty, who came too high too fast in the ranks of the Syndicate. How she did it, he didn’t have time to find out, because for the first time he had someone with whom he could be honest, come clean and not worry she’d run for the hills the moment he closed his mouth at the end of that speech.  
She knew what he’d done, she knew he was just a foot soldier in this fight. She trusted him enough to sleep beside him at night, and that was all he asked for then. She wasn’t pure, she wasn’t good, but she was enough, and he felt happy with her, she felt nice.  
They met as people, around him she wasn’t a special Representative to the Secretary General of the UN, he wasn’t a mercenary posing as a petty crook who smuggled a bottle or two of vodka from the deep provinces of the former USSR. She was happy, adventurous, and he was in love, for the fist time in years, and second time in his life.  
They spent long nights at The Believer, laughing and joking, playing darts and getting drunk. He made love to her on the rooftop of his building, under the stars and whatever else that might be there watching, celebrating life and hopefully throwing it right into the gray, black eyed faces of The Enemy.  
For all they knew the sexless Grays with their huge eyes and identical faces knew nothing of love and affection, their incubated offspring was violent, deadly to anything, from the human they infected in order to gestate to anyone who stood in the path of a young Gray in first few days of it’s life.  
That was what happened to Marita one day. She was visiting a facility near Chernobyl, dead zone around the power plant served as a buffer, to keep people away from what was going on under the concrete sarcophagus covering what was left of reactor 4. As near Krasnoyarsk one team was developing a vaccine, in the Ukraine, other team was studying the aliens, their strengths, vulnerabilities and any potential threats of hybridization with human DNA.  
Marita was called to audit that facility, but something has gone wrong, she was exposed to the black oil and Alex didn’t manage to get to her fast enough to save her. The vaccine he knew they were working on in Siberia came too late, she died, as did all other test subjects before her.  
He wandered around Russia, grieving and gathering intelligence, anything and everything that might lead him to those who allowed this to happen. In the process he found out that Diana returned to the US, the trail he was following lead strangely close to her, and it looked almost too convenient for her to leave just in time to miss him. Grief and anger and loneliness finally wore him out, he needed to get out, just for a little while.  
He came home, and found his friend happy and settled with a woman as bright and pure as he was. It was good, it was beautiful, it made him want to puke, but he couldn’t hate them, nobody could.  
Soon he found out, that the universe was even bigger than he thought. The almighty Grays had enemies of their own, and in that respect the aliens weren’t as different from their human subjects. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and that is probably the only universal law of the universe. The project was blown into smithereens, Alex was a free man, as was the rest of humanity, for now at least. They were not alone in the universe, he knew it, some suspected it, most lived and died oblivious and thus blessed. Alex could only hope, he will not live to see the day of the next invasion.

Under the white glare of the kitchen light Mulder sat by the table, hissing as Scully cleaned his cuts, a bag of peas pressed against his cheek.  
“You’re not angry with me?” he asked shyly, nothing like this happened since they met.  
“A little disappointed maybe” she sighed taking his face in her hands “you’re lucky I know you well enough”  
“I’m lucky you want me anyway” he smiled pulling her into his lap, her arms around him, his around her, with years of practice it was just one step shy of instinct.  
“Tell me about Alex” Scully asked running her fingers through his hair, Mulder laughed and set the bag of peas on the table “what’s so funny?”  
“What’s funny is that we met on a night like this, in Oxford”  
“Tell me”  
“Let’s shower first” he whispered into her neck “join me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Foo Fighters - Everlong


	28. Patience And Grace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Pancha31; Happy Birthday!!!

It looked like a simple weekend with family, but it was so much more.  
Samantha, who was shy at first, quickly got pulled into the whirlwind that was the Scully family. Adored by Missy and Emily, she overcome her fear of strangers and being a nurse at the pediatric ward it was easier for her to find a common language with Em, just like it happened with Will. Dragged away to help with making popcorn garland for the Christmas tree, Sam listened patiently to stories about school adventures and by the end of the hour she knew all about Emily's friends and enemies and playground politics. Will wanted to help but his idea of helping was eating every other piece of popcorn and he soon lost interest, switching to a box of lego's, building ornaments looking vaguely like planes or space ships.  
Mulder and Charlie tried to convince Ethan to switch from Audi to Ford, unsuccessfully. Scully and Missy surveyed the family dinner and cake, getting everything ready to call the kids to decorate. Maggie was on her way back from California with Bill and Tara. The tree was shining bright in the corner of the living room, bathing everything it it's magical rainbow glow. It was the first time Mulder and Scully were hosting breakfast on Christmas morning.  
Their eyes met for a moment between the couch and the dining table. Scully rested one hand over her baby bump and there was sun in her smile, this was their life.

"How is it that your side of the bed is always softer"   
"Hey, mind the space"  
"Can’t, I’m a natural space invader"  
"Stop that"  
"Please, just a little"  
"You're worse than Will"  
"He had to get it from someone"  
"Ouuch"  
"Sorry, sorry, let me kiss it to make it better"  
"Stop, no, Mulder, that tickles, stop, alright, alright, come here"  
"Hmmm, I knew your side is softer"  
"Shut up and cuddle"  
"Okay, I'm shutting up, silent as a sleeping baby"  
"Shhhh"  
"Scully?"  
"Yes?" her voice was soft in the darkness.  
"You're a great mom"  
"Tell me that in twenty years"   
"We still don’t want to know?” They both had their hopes but again, as with Will before, she didn’t want to know the sex of their second child.  
“You want to?”  
“I was thinking about it, maybe I do”  
“All the tests are fine, my results are fine, we’re fine, that’s all I need to know”  
“I know that, but still, aren’t you curious?”  
“Think of it as me doing things spontaneously, no programing, no pink walls and carpets, or blue blankets, it’s a baby, our baby”  
“Ethan and Missy know about theirs, it’s not such a big deal”  
“That’s because Missy’s impatient, she always was” She took his hand and pressed it to her baby bump “let me ask you, what do you think it is?”  
“A girl” Mulder replied without hesitation as he kissed her belly over he silk of her nightshirt.   
“I think so too, so let’s wait and see if we’re right”  
“You won’t budge on this?” He smiled looking up, his hand sliding south, caressing her hip and thigh.  
“No, I won’t, not this time” threading her fingers trough his hair, she pulled his lips to hers, silencing his arguments for the night.

"Daddy" a small voice woke Mulder, little hand squeezing his shoulder, early morning light filtering through the blinds.  
"What is it Will" he reached for the boy and pulled him closer "did you wet your bed again?"  
Will shook his little head and bit his lip, hugging his stuffed polar bear.  
"Come here" he lifted the comforter and the boy quickly climbed into bed then over him to the middle, nestling against Scully's side. She woke up enough to put her arm around him. Mulder watched them for a moment then settled back, pulling the sheets over the four of them, his hand resting over his wife’s growing belly. Scully's small, warm hand covered his and he fell back asleep. Just another Sunday morning. 

Scully stood in their living room window, watching Will and Mulder pushing a large snowball, that would become the base of their first snow man. Will tottered after his dad, slipping and stumbling in the wet snow. His cheeks were red and his knees were wet, but he looked happier than she ever saw him when Mulder finally set the third snowball on top of the previous two, giving the snow man his head. They brought two twigs from a walk in the park earlier for arms, and dug up a few stones for the face. She was in the kitchen, wondering what to give them for nose, a carrot or a potato, when the doorbell rang.  
“Samantha, hi, come on in”   
“Hi Dana” Sam smiled and came in, starting to take of her snow covered shoes.  
“No, leave them on” Scully stopped her with a smile and reached for her own boots, jacket and gloves “you don’t want to miss this, come on”  
She led her to the patio door where Sam noticed what was going on.  
“Boys look who’s here” Scully called out, walking down the few steps cautiously, her props in one hand.   
“Aunt Sam” Will squealed and as he tried to run to meet them, he slipped, landing on all fours.   
“Easy there kid” Mulder laughed picking him up and as soon as his feet touched the ground he flew straight into Samantha’s open arms.   
Scully came to Mulder and showed him what she found, the snow man got a carrot nose, and a bucket for a hat.   
The morning would end peacefully, if it wasn’t for a snowball that hit Mulder’s back. He just couldn’t leave it at that.   
Scully helped Will, throwing snowballs for him, aiming equally at Mulder and Sam. It was everyone for himself and as expected, Mulder lost. After one extremely cold chunk of snow slipped under the collar of his coat, he surrendered, for the good of the people and hot chocolate with marshmallows and some well earned hugs from his family. He realized, he didn’t have this much fun in the snow since he was twelve years old.

Mulder's favorite view in the world these days, was his son sleeping in his mother's arms, his sweet little face calm and relaxed. Scully's belly was growing and soon Will would need to find another spot to rest, but right now he slept curled up in her lap, ignoring the conversations of adults around him. Mulder wanted to take him upstairs but the boy's tiny hand only closed around a fistful of her cardigan, the moment he felt his father's hands on his back. Scully smiled, shaking her head, silently assuring him, that it was okay, all she asked for was Will’s blanket, to keep him warm.   
The conversation grew hushed and the soft glow of family fire spilled over everyone, soothing lonely souls, promising what it could be like to find a companion and build a life away from darkness. That evening even the hardcore bachelors of the Lone Gunman questioned their elected paths.   
“I think he’s gone” Scully said softly. This time the boy didn’t fight, his baby arms and legs were limp as Mulder picked him up. The soft little body of a child, safe and sound in his father’s arms, rocked to sleep surrounded by his mother’s love, that’s what happy childhoods were made of.

 

Scully gently pushed her feet against Mulder’s thigh, jostling him to get his attention. He petted her ankles but his eyes never left the report he was reading.   
Being ignored, even in an innocent way like that, was not something she suffered easily, especially given their limited alone time. Her toes snuck under the hem of his sweatshirt, then t-shirt, looking for skin, just where he was ticklish.  
“Mulder” she said sweetly, seeing him smile “read to me”  
“You don’t want to hear this” he teased still not looking at her.  
“Try me” leaning on the armrest of the couch she wiggled her toes, making him chuckle.  
“It’s kind of disgusting”   
“Then it must be super interesting” he grabbed her foot as she was teasing his side.  
“Nope, a total mood killer” throwing the file aside, he leaned over and grabbed her hips, making her giggle and let him pull her into his lap.  
“We definitely wouldn’t want that” she agreed, gently taking off his reading glasses.   
Their lips met, her arms around his neck as he caressed her back, kissing slow and deep and as intoxicating as it was the first time, only better. She took her time, he didn’t rush, there was confidence in their touch, a comfort gained only with complete faith in the other.   
He worked his way up, undoing the buttons of her shirt, revealing her rounded belly, breasts, nipples pebbled under pale, pink lace. Her hips rocked against him as he kissed a path down her neck and each sigh carried a smile, so that when she pushed him away and stood up he smiled.  
“We haven’t done it here in a while” she said dropping her pants.  
“A terrible oversight” Mulder agreed as she reached for his belt buckle. The rest of their conversation went wordlessly. 

The days went by peacefully, winter gave way to spring, the baby grew inside her, the cherry blossoms bloomed pink and white on their street. Scully watched Mulder and Will from the kitchen window when they made a trip to the deli for fresh buns and croissants. Will bursting with energy, curious about every twig and leaf on the pavement, Mulder’s long strides still managing to keep up. She knew that Will would stop by the crosswalk, Mulder would hold his wrist gently but securely in his hand, they would cross the street, passing a florist’s stand.   
“You want to buy flowers for Mommy?” Will nodded pointing to a vase on the ground.  
“Tulips? Yellow ones?”  
“No! Red!”   
“Okay, red ones, you want to pay for them too?” Mulder smiled passing the bills to his son, who then handed them to the old Jack, taking the flowers in exchange.  
“Here you go buddy, mommy will love these” the old man smiled messing the boy’s brown hair. Will had his mother’s blue eyes, but the colors were distinctly his father’s.   
“Say thank you Will”   
“Thank you!” Jack smiled at Mulder and they went into the store next door.   
Before they got back, the batter for pancakes was ready, coffee was brewing, and the table was set.   
“Go give those to mom” she heard Mulder from the door, turning from the stove to see Will with a bunch of flowers almost as big as he was.   
“What is this?” she asked delighted.  
“Turnips” Will smiled handing her the flowers as Mulder burst out with laughter.  
“Tulips baby” she corrected, kneeling down to hug and kiss the boy’s forehead “Thank you”  
Will let go of her and ran off, unable to stay in one place for longer than 30 seconds, and she called after him to go wash his hands.   
“You like your turnips?” Mulder laughed as he came to collect his kiss, leaving the groceries on the counter.   
“He has your sense of humor”   
“I sure hope he does” their lips brushed and his hand caressed her rounded belly “Only what’s best for my boy, how’s the little one?”   
“She calmed down for now” Scully chuckled when the baby kicked right under his hand “well mostly, mind the food, I’ll be right back”   
He reached over her head for a vase and she put the flowers in it before she left to use the bathroom again. 

Since Will was born, Byers was taking care of books for the Believer, giving Mulder more time to write and take care of his son. With a little help from his friends and Charlie, who was always ready to babysit for them, they made their way through the first two years.  
Mulder’s book made him somewhat famous in the community, and his bar became a popular meeting place, drawing more and more new faces each night. What he used to consider an afternoon rush, became the standard and though he regretted sometimes the loss of the intimate atmosphere, he was able to hire one more person to help, freeing him to spend more time with family. As it turned out Jesse, Samantha’s adopted sister was looking for a job. The petite blonde worked at a bar before so it wasn’t a hard decision to give her a chance, with Mike being particularly enthusiastic, promising to help her in any way she needed. Mulder couldn’t stop himself, and after a week of watching them, he had to say something.  
“You’re transparent” he chuckled out of the blue as they were stocking the big fridge in the back room.  
“What?”   
“You and Jesse” Mulder smiled a knowing smile.   
“It’s nothing” the young man blushed, some might be fooled by his posture and tattoos to believe he was a badass biker, but Mulder knew him long enough to know better.   
“Sure, and it will stay nothing if you do nothing about it”   
“Thanks” there was a sour note in his tone “like I don’t have enough to worry about”  
“Stop worrying and take matters into you own hands” he took the last bottle from the crate and looked up at Mike “you know some guys are coming here for her, she became quite popular”  
“She’s pretty, men like her”   
“Yeah, that’s my point, if you won’t hurry, someone will beat you to it, and I don’t want that to happen knowing that you didn’t even try”  
“It’s easy for you to say boss” he got up and took the crate with him, bringing a full one back “you always had girls eating out of the palm of your hand”  
“Far from it” Mulder laughed, remembering his own hesitation and excitement when he and Scully were just friends “but this isn’t about me, you guys have a night off tomorrow, right?”   
“Yeah, it’s Tuesday”  
“Ask her out, take her to the movies or something, bring her ti the party or at least ask” he popped open the beer bottle in hand and took a sip “you’ll never know, she might surprise you!”   
“HI” a female voice sounded from the door and both of them looked up, speak of the devil Mulder thought.   
“We’re out back!” Mulder called and got up as she came in a moment later.  
“Hi, I see you started without me” she said shrugging out of her bomber jacket.   
“You can help Mike here, I’ll start cleaning out front”   
“Okay” she agreed eagerly and he left them alone, hoping he played his hunch right. 

Everyone was invited to Will’s birthday party. It was Tuesday, but everyone who could, promised to show up, including Missy, who drove in the day before with Emily and little Johnny, only a month old.  
After they tucked Will into bed, they spent the rest of the evening decorating the house with balloons and banners, so they could surprise him the moment he woke up. A shiny new trike waiting hidden in the office.   
Muder decided to close the bar that day. He picked up the cake bright and early, a space rocket weighing over 8 pounds. Will got his sweet tooth after Scully, ice cream and chocolate were his treat, limited to one day a week of course, baby teeth were still teeth and she was very serious about forming the right habits. The cake was their favorite, traditionally ordered from the same bakery as the one for Scully’s birthday, and even though there was no alcohol in it, he knew there won’t be any leftovers to worry about. If there was one thing their friends and family had in common, it was that everyone loved a good cake.

Never in his life, Fox Mulder thought he’d be this guy, a family man, with a son and a pregnant wife, friends and a sister. Years he had spent cast away, chasing monsters and aliens, seemed like a blur, a dream he once had, a bad dream filled with loneliness and pain, with manipulative women and monsters wearing the faces of men.   
He woke up each morning next to Scully, curled up on her side of the bed. Saw Will in his room, covers kicked to the floor, hugging his bear. He ate breakfast like normal people, laughing and answering baby questions, drinking coffee, eating french toast with jam. He had a lawn that needed mowing, a book to write. He could pick up his phone and have lunch with his sister, meet his friends who most likely would be at his bar that night anyway.   
Fox Mulder woke up to a gloriously mundane life and he found himself happier than ever. 

He parked in front of their home, noticing Emily jogging after Will, Scully and Missy a few steps behind. Will saw him and sped up, making Mulder thankful there was no streets between them.   
“Daddy!”   
“Slow down Evel Knievel”   
“Uncle Mulder!” Emily caught up to them and caught his pant leg.   
“Hi Em” he messed up her hair and caught the handle of the trike before Will could get away.   
“You’ve got everything?” Scully asked as they approached them.   
“Yup” his tone turned into a stage whisper “But it’s a secret”  
“Secret?” Will and Emily caught it instantly.   
“What?” He pretended he couldn’t hear them “what did you say?”  
“Secret!” They both yelled.  
“Can’t hear you, did you say biscuits?” He teased them “we have some biscuits, right Scully?”   
“We sure have” she watched Mulder pick up Will and holding him like a parcel under his arm, kicking and giggling, he carried him into the house.  
“Missy leave the carriage, I’ll bring it inside in a sec” he said over his shoulder.  
“Okay” and they all went inside for a snack.

The kids fell asleep on the couch, once the sugar rush wore off and the whole day of running around caught up to them. The party moved from the garden to the living room. Maggie, Missy, Charlie, Sam, the Gunmen, Nick and Jesse. It made Scully smile to see so many grownups on a little boy’s party and hope that in time it will change.   
“Dana was the good one, the punctual one of the four” Maggie remembered “even more than Bill, she took everything very seriously”  
“I was the rebel” Missy laughed.  
“Yeah, and I had to do the babysitting while you snuck out on dates”   
“Charlie didn’t mind, did you?”   
“Don’t ask me, I was just a kid, give me a bowl of ice cream and I’ll say whatever you want”   
“What a good boy you are” Missy laughed hugging his shoulders “keeping our secrets even now”   
“A man must have a code to live by” he answered proudly and a bit teasingly at the same time.  
Mulder and Sam listened to this conversation, and as she thought about times she covered for Jesse, Mulder thought about all the times his parents didn’t care if he came home or not.   
He thought about secrets and feelings Scully shared with him, about her past and wondered, what secrets his children will have one day. Do parents really know their children? When do they let go in order to let them grow up? Will he be able to do that? Was conquering that natural fear the part of parenting no one spoke about? Scully leaned against his side and he put his arm around her waist, his hand resting on the side her belly, his own little girl. What secrets will she hide from her dad?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title comes from from Foo Figetrs album, "Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace"

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, kudos and comments. I love you all.
> 
> [Full playlist on spotify](https://open.spotify.com/user/domkach/playlist/0ToOTY36nWZYTDvYI8B4G4)


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